In the Shadow of a Mountain
by AgoodWITCH
Summary: Bella has always lived in the shadow of her twin brother, Edward. But on a graduation trip with their friends to a secluded cabin, she starts to develop feelings for his roommate Jasper. How long can they explore their feelings while keeping Edward in the dark? Non-canon pairing.
1. Chapter 1

This story was originally supposed to be my entry into the Driven to Desire UST Anon Contest, but it got to be too long, and I was running out of time, so I expanded it a little and turned it into a 9 chapter story. I will post a chapter a day over the course of my vacation so you won't have to wait long for updates.

Huge amounts of love to mizzdee for her quick turnaround on these chapters and to TropicalSorbet for being my prereader on this. She's hardcore E/B and she loved this Jasper/Bella story, so I hope you like it too.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. This story is rated for lemons, language, and the normal teenage shenanigans.

-l-l-l-l-l-

**Chapter 1**

**BPOV**

Think back to your favorite story and try to look past the dashing hero long enough to notice their sidekick. The friend or sibling that is ordinary to the extreme, except for the fact that they're important to the hero.

That would be me. Plain Jane Bella Swan, known only because my twin brother, Edward, refuses to let me hideaway in my books.

Edward Swan is the all-American guy: outgoing, popular, star athlete, outdoorsman, award-winning marksman, and he's even smart enough to graduate high-school a year early and head off to U-Dub on a full scholarship without me.

But not even the three-hour drive dissuaded him from coming home to hang out with our friends in Forks, or drag me to Seattle a few times. I'd met his girlfriend, Alice, on my second trip to Seattle, but I always seemed to miss his roommate, Jasper. Even my dad met him when he came to town for a weekend hunting trip while I was on a fieldtrip.

And that was a damn shame, because from the pictures I'd seen of him, and all the stories I'd heard about the Texas-born Jasper Whitlock, he sounded like a pretty awesome guy.

Not that anything would come of it, because besides the fact that he could land anyone, Edward was the king of the cockblock. Maybe it was his desire to go into law enforcement, or the fact that he liked to remind people that he hunted deer, but before he went to college no guy would dare look at me, let alone touch.

"Bella, come on, we're about to go up. I know Principal Green is a bore, but you can't sleepwalk across the stage." I rolled my eyes at Jessica's exaggeration; she was not someone I would miss.

We stood and made our way to the side of the stage, our class was only seventy-seven students, so it would be quick. I heard Edward's voice first when Rose crossed the stage, then again for Emmett, so by the time I was handed my diploma, he sounded as if he might lose his voice from all the screaming he was doing.

With the ceremony over, I started pushing through the crowd to where I knew my family would be. Strong arms swept me up as Edward spun me around. "Bella, Bella, Bella, congrats sis!"

It felt good to have him here, and I was excited to be joining him at U-Dub in the fall. The twin connection was no joke and with us there weren't really any secrets.

"Thanks, Eddie," I said just in time to hear Emmett's booming voice.

"Hey, how come she can call you Eddie, but I get punched when I do it?"

"Because, I spent nine months kicking her in the side when my mom was pregnant with us. This lil one can do no wrong." Edward smiled down at me right as Alice came up and hugged me.

"Congratulations, Bella." She squeezed me again before handing me a bouquet of wildflowers. "I was going to get you roses, but Edward told me that you'd like these better."

Nodding, I took a whiff of the flowers before hugging her again. "He's right; I was never a roses type of girl."

"Bella, I want you to meet Jasper. Jazz, this is my sister, Bella."

I looked beside Edward and as soon as I made eye contact with Jasper, I stopped breathing. Pictures didn't do him justice in a pair of gray slacks and a white button-down shirt. His blond hair was slicked back, but I could tell it was probably a wavy mess when he didn't use hair products. The tan color of his skin made the blue of his eyes pop and his pink lips were moving so I was obviously missing his hello.

"It's nice to meet you too, Jasper. I've heard a lot about you," I responded, hoping to cover the fact that I'd missed everything he'd said.

Thankfully, Rose stepped in to explain my stupor. "You'll have to forgive Bella, we were up late having a spa night so we'd look our best for today."

"Well, you both look beautiful, so it was time well spent," Jasper said it with a smile and a wink, the honeyed tone and his Texas twang were enough to make me swoon.

"Okay kids," my dad said, ending the conversation. "Edward said that he and Jasper need to pick up a few things, and Bella, Alice needs help with her supplies, so why don't you kids head to Newton's now, and we'll see you at home. Just try and remember we have a six o'clock reservation at the Lodge."

"We will, Mr. Swan," Rose said as she led me out to her car.

Emmett, Rose, and I drove in her car, while Edward, Alice, and Jasper took his truck, heading straight to Newton's Olympic Outfitters.

Once inside, Rose and Emmett began picking out what they needed, while Alice dragged me around looking at everything they had to offer.

"So when you guys go camping and hunting, what do you get?" she questioned as she ran her hands over the various items on the shelf.

"It depends on where we're going, and what we're hunting. But you realize that we're going to be staying in a really fancy cabin. All you're going to need is some clothes you don't mind getting dirty for when we go into the park, and some boots if you don't want to use your sneakers. If you want a backpack then you can get one, but I don't really see a need for it."

"Well, I'm going to be wearing some of your brother's flannels and I have some simple jeans and tops. So let's look at some boots." Alice dragged me to the shoes and I helped her find a pair.

"You know, Alice, they sell clothes here if you want to get some, instead of wearing Edward's," I told her but she just giggled.

"Listen, Bella, I know Edward would never give you this piece of information, so I feel like it's my job to help you on the man front. Guys love it when you wear their clothes. I'm doing it to get him all hot and bothered so we can enjoy our time in that nice big bed."

Shaking my head, I made a beeline for Edward and dragged him away from the register where he was paying for our things. "You and Alice, and Emmett and Rose are taking the two upstairs bedrooms. I'm not sleeping anywhere near you two couples."

"Bella, we're not divvying up rooms until we get there and see them," Edward started and I cut him off.

"I'm not sleeping across the hall from either my best friends or my brother having sex, and you said the upstairs bedrooms had king-size beds, so why are you arguing?"

Edward thought about it just as Alice walked over with her boots and backpack. "Is everything okay?"

"Sure, Ali, we were just talking about the room situation for the cabin. It looks like you and I are in the master bedroom, and Rosalie and Emmett will be across the hall."

"That's fine, baby," Alice said as she winked at me.

We paid for our purchases, and then I climbed into the back of Edward's orange Chevy truck. Jasper got in next to me and we drove home, giving us a little time to get everything put away upstairs before dinner.

Alice followed me into my room and sat her Newton's bag on top of her suitcase. "Thanks for letting me crash in your room, it would be _really_ awkward sharing a room with Edward in your dad's house."

"Don't worry, it'll be fun. It's not like I had many sleepovers growing up, just Rose," I admitted.

"Well, that will change next year. I have a private room, so I'm going to make sure to have you over for girls' nights. It'll be so much fun!"

I was a little scared of a girls' night with Alice, but thankfully, Dad called us downstairs to go to dinner so I didn't have time to think about it.

I walked downstairs with Alice to see Edward and Jasper had put on sports coats and even my dad was shifting uncomfortably in his suit, so I grabbed my leather coat and we all headed for the cars.

The Lodge was crowded when we got there, but we were shown to a table and soon I was hiding behind my menu. I really hated being the center of attention, and Emmett and Rosalie were a few tables over with their parents, so tonight was all about me.

Edward and Jasper spent the first part of dinner talking about the campus with Dad, filling him in on all the various hangouts and telling their tamest college exploits from the past year.

When the meal came, Dad asked about our plans for the week and we told him about the hiking paths and trails, as well as all the things our cabin offered. The place was huge, but with the maximum six people that they included in the price, it meant that we got it for relatively cheap when we split it equally.

As the conversation continued, Alice had mentioned that her present was back in my room, and Edward's present was my portion of the cabin, so the only person I was expecting a gift from was my dad, making the small package Jasper sat beside my plate unexpected.

"You didn't have to get me anything, Jasper," I told him.

"It's not anything too special, but Edward said you didn't have it, so I picked it up." I tore off the paper to reveal a DVD of the newest PBS version of _Mansfield Park_, my favorite Austen book.

"Thank you, Jasper. It's perfect," I said, smiling up at him.

My father's throat-clearing broke our eye contact, and soon he was handing what looked like a watch box across the table.

"Dad, you didn't have to get me jewelry," I admonished him as I popped the lid and stared dumbly down at the key ring sitting in the box. "It's a Happy Bunn… you didn't?"

"Well, it looks like I did." He smirked, his mustache dancing over his crooked smile.

"Oh, my God!" I ran around the table and hugged him around the neck. "Thank you, Daddy!"

"You have to be shitting me?" Edward yelled out. "I tried to get Jacob to sell me the Rabbit for over a year, and he sold it to you to give to Bella?"

"I think he's hoping to test out the backseat with her," Emmett whisper-shouted as he walked past us to the bathroom.

"Over my dead body," Edward and my dad said at the same time, causing the rest of the table to break out laughing.

"You needed a car for college, and even with as well as you did with scholarships, I couldn't afford to get you something newer. Sorry, Bells." My dad looked like he was ashamed that he couldn't afford two car payments at the same time on top of putting two kids through college.

"Dad, I love it. If you had gotten me something new, I probably would have yelled at you for wasting money."

The waiter brought out our dessert, so I settled into my seat and we finished the meal. I made a quick trip to the bathroom before we left, and was surprised to see the end of a pretty intense conversation going on between my dad and Jasper. I walked up to the table, grabbing my DVD and ending whatever they had been talking about before we walked to the parking lot.

"Okay kids, I won't be back before you leave, so be safe and try to make a few of the meals. Your sister's going to celebrate, not be your personal chef."

I rolled my eyes at the comment, and we all got back in Edward's truck, driving straight home.

I was shocked to see Jacob at the house, leaning against my car when we got there. He walked over and handed me the second set of keys, smiling as he gestured towards the car. "Want to take it for a spin, see how it handles?"

That right there was something I hated. Jacob was great, but he wasn't my type, and he never took no for an answer. "We're heading out early tomorrow; I really should go in and get some sleep."

"Come on, a half an hour won't matter that much," he pushed, but then I felt someone walk up beside me, their presence palpable.

"Bella, why don't you show me where I'll be staying tonight." Jasper's twang had a sharp edge to it, and the innuendo was clear in how he made that comment, causing Jacob to back away. When Jacob was back in his friend's car, Jasper whispered, "Sorry for being so forward, but you seemed really uncomfortable."

"No, thank you for that. I honestly believe Jacob doesn't hear the word 'no.' To him, it's like a sound so high-pitched that only dogs can hear."

We headed inside and the boys vanished, leaving Alice and I to go up into my room and finally reveal my gift. She opened her suitcase and pulled out a shopping bag, dumping a bunch of lace, satin, and spandex onto my bed. "I remembered the last time you came to Seattle that you said you didn't have a lot of nice underwear, so I got you some staples, along with a few that will drive any man crazy. Plus, I know that Edward is like a giant walking chastity belt, so I assumed you didn't have a lot of bikinis. So, we'll use this week to get him used to the idea of you being a woman with a body, instead of his sister."

"Alice, this is way too much," I started to tell her as she opened my suitcase and pushed in some of the items scattered across my mattress, taking the rest with her to my dresser.

"No it isn't. If your mom wasn't across the country living life with some preschooler, then you would have had the feminine support to break these men out of their cavemen ideas. That's what I'm here for. Think of me like a surrogate sister until the day your brother makes it official."

"What?" I gasped, as tonight seemed to be a night for surprises.

"He hasn't asked me yet, or anything. I just know that he's it for me, and he seems to feel the same, I just think he's afraid of saying it too soon."

I nodded; grabbing my pj's to change in the bathroom while she used my bedroom. By the time I returned, Alice had climbed under the covers and was flipping through the channels on my TV. We spent a little while hanging out before turning in for the night.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you all for taking a chance on this, I hope you enjoy it, because I'm loving writing this little one.**

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. This story is rated for lemons, language, and the normal teenage shenanigans.**

**Chapter 2**

**BPOV**

The next morning, I woke up early and took a shower, knowing there would be a rush when the others woke up. I went downstairs and fed Jake, our golden retriever, and let him out back as I started making breakfast.

The guys were the first to move around, coming down to see what smelled so good as Alice took her shower.

"I want to take the Rabbit with us, so do you want to call Emmett and see if he still wants to drive?"

"What can you possibly fit in there?" Edward asked as he fixed his coffee.

"My bag, Jake and his stuff, and one other person. Maybe Alice will ride with me?"

"No, take Jasper; he knows how to get to the cabin. I'll call him so we can pick them up on the way to the store," Edward said as he opened the door to let in Jake.

"Wait, your dog is named Jake?" Jasper asked.

"Yeah, it seemed like the perfect name for him with the way Jacob sniffs around here after Bella. Best thing is, Jake here hates his namesake. Won't let him in the house if Bella's home alone." Edward laughed to himself as I plated the eggs and bacon I'd made.

Alice came down a few minutes later, and within an hour we were packed up and Jake was climbing into the back of my car. Jasper looked at my lists, shaking his head. "Is this organized by the different parts of the store?"

"Yup," I told him. "If I send Emmett and Rosalie after the junk food and drinks, and preoccupy Edward with the meat, then I can get the rest of my supplies without them groaning at all the vegetables and boring stuff."

"I can see that happening," Jasper admitted with a smiled.

Edward went to pick up Rosalie and Emmett, their grocery lists in hand, with Alice as Jasper and I drove to the store. Grabbing a cart, Jasper followed me around the store, watching as I worked my way through the list. He kept track of the list, crossing off the items I'd selected and reminding me of what was next. A few of my purchases surprised him, but I explained that some things I preferred to make from scratch.

We were in the produce when everyone else got there, quickly moving to finish their shopping.

Edward and Jasper did some weird guy sign language before he told us to load up his flatbed with the groceries.

Eric Yorkie must have heard Edward, because as we walked up and started loading up the conveyer belt, he came out with a cart full of boxes. Eric started ringing us up, using the boxes to pack our groceries.

"Edward and Emmett's stuff going in the truck too?" Eric asked when we were half done.

"Yeah, thanks Eric."

Jasper was staring at Eric when I nudged him, forcing him to look at me. "Is he that helpful to everyone, or just you?"

Rolling my eyes, I explained, "A lot of people have trucks around here, so they keep boxes on hand because they don't fall over in the flatbed."

"Oh," was all he said as we began loading the boxes in the cart.

I was settling the last box that would fit in the cart when I saw Jasper hand over a credit card to Eric. "No way, this is my grocery list."

My feeble attempts to swat his hand away were no use as Eric took the proffered card. "It may be your list, but you're also going to be doing a good deal of the cooking, so I can't let you pay for it, even before Edward told me to."

I grumbled to myself but let him pay, leaving him behind as I started loading the truck. Jasper carried out the last two boxes and started handing the rest of my purchases up to me. Jake was barking from the side of the truck, having jumped out one of the windows we'd left open to him.

Jasper helped me down from the flatbed, his hands warming me even through my jean shorts. Trying to deflect from the intensity of the moment, I asked, "So, should we head out, or wait for them to finish?"

"I think they're coming out, so we can get in the car and relax until they're ready." Jasper pointed to the doors where Edward and Emmett were shoving each other as they raced to the truck. Thank goodness it was still early enough on a Sunday that no one was out yet.

The guys got the truck loaded with the rest of the groceries while I settled Jake in the car and cranked up the radio. Jasper climbed in a minute later and we headed down the road.

It was a pretty easy drive, Jasper and I making small talk along the way. I learned that Jasper's parents owned a cattle ranch that he worked on until he moved to Seattle for school, so he was a real-live cowboy. The mental image was so fucking sexy. The thought of Jasper on a horse was definitely swoon-worthy.

Conversation was easy until the opening strings of "Brown-Eyed Girl" began to play. I had the station changed before the words began, but Jasper was confused by my reaction.

"Not a big fan of Van Morrison?" Jasper asked.

"No, it's just the song brings up a bad memory." I looked over at him and he seemed a little concerned so I shrugged and turned to the road again. "Has Edward ever told you anything about my mom?"

"Only that she ran out on you guys when you were babies. He said she was selfish and spoiled."

I shook my head at how Edward had described her. "Edward has no time for her. He sees her running away as a betrayal and refuses to have anything to do with her. I'm a little more willing to put up with her . Anyway, my mom sang that song to me to put me to sleep when I was a baby. I don't remember it, but my dad used to tell me that because he thought it would be one nice thing I could hold onto about my mom. Well one day when I was nine or ten, I was talking to her on the phone and I can't even remember how, but that song came up and I told her that I loved it. She was surprised and I explained that Dad had told me about how she used to sing it to me when I was little. I'll never forget what she said next, she asked why she would sing 'Brown-Eyed Girl' to me if I have green eyes. Her forgetting that she sang it to me would be normal for Renee, but arguing with me that my eyes weren't brown … what kind of mother doesn't know what color their child's eyes are?"

"I'm sorry, Bella, that's really shitty," Jasper offered.

"Sad as it is to say, that's my mom."

The remainder of the drive passed just as the first few hours did, and after Edward stopped at the office to check us into the cabin and get our keys, we drove up to the cabin.

I was completely blown away by how nice it was. Edward ran up to unlock the door and I pulled back my seat to let Jake out and then went to grab the bag of his things, surprised that Jasper already had that and my duffle bag in his grasp. Moving over to the truck, Emmett handed me a box and I went to the kitchen, Edward telling me that they'd carry in the rest of the groceries so I could set up the kitchen how I liked it.

It was a gorgeous kitchen, complete with a waffle maker, and the boxes kept coming in and I worked through them. When they stated to pass in boxes of booze, I looked at Edward pointedly.

"Emmett got it, and we deserve to cut loose. You don't want to have the first time you've gotten drunk to be at a party when you don't know the people around you," Edward said as his explanation.

I finished putting everything away, leaving out stuff for sandwiches. I made a sandwich for myself and went to tell the others they could make their lunch. Jasper motioned towards the living room when everyone else had left and I followed him.

"We're sleeping down here, so you can pick which room you want, and I'll take the other," Jasper said.

Peeking into the back bedroom, I walked to the other room and decided it was the best option, because it was the most out of the way room. I moved mine and Jake's stuff into the front room and then returned to watch TV with everyone in the living room.

Once we finished the sandwiches, we decided to unpack and relax for a while before the guys started dinner.

I must have fallen asleep, because then next thing I felt was Jasper's hand on my shoulder and his breath on my neck. "Bella, Darlin', what do you want for dinner?"

I rolled over and was met by his deep blue eyes. "What?"

"We're grilling hotdogs and hamburgers, what do you want us to make?"

"Oh, a hotdog sounds good," I answered, sitting up to stretch. Jasper was staring down and I realized my shirt had ridden up a little. His eyes flashed to mine before he ran out at the sound of Edward's voice.

I waited in my room for a few minutes, thinking over what had just happened. I knew that I was attracted to Jasper, I mean, how could you not be, but the fact that I was imagining things that weren't there was bad. He didn't want me like that. I was his best friend's sister, and that was all I would ever be.

When I walked over to the kitchen, Alice was setting the table and Rosalie was setting the time on the microwave. "We threw in the fries; you seemed to need the sleep."

"Thanks, Rose, I completely passed out in there."

"Well, that's good, because we're doing a movie marathon tonight after dinner," Emmett said as he came in for the meat. "We're watching all four _Scream _movies."

"Oh, come on, you know I hate horror," I groaned, but it seemed to be the consensus that everyone wanted to watch them, so I didn't put up a fight.

Dinner was delicious, and they'd used paper plates so it meant we didn't have to clean up. We gathered some of the junk food and moved over to the game room which was right down the path, because it had more seating.

Using the coffee table for the food, Edward pulled down some blankets and pillows and made a pallet on the floor on the far side of the pool table for he and Alice, while Emmett and Rosalie took one of the couches and Jasper and I took the other.

Emmett popped in the first movie and the room went black, the only light coming from the sun as it was setting through the trees.

Alice and Rosalie made good use of their boyfriends as Ghostface terrorized Woodsboro and I realized why they'd all wanted to watch it.

It was during the big party scene at the end of the movie that I screeched, jumping into Jasper's side as he caught me. It was the moment that the killer struck again and I buried my face in Jasper's shoulder, his hand coming up to hold me to him.

The warmth I'd felt from him earlier was even more electric with the lights off and I spent the rest of the movie in that exact position.

Emmett moved just enough to switch discs and my torture continued.

I spent the entire second movie leaning into Jasper, but he never complained or shied away, instead, he pulled me closer when I'd jump.

After the second movie, everyone else made a bathroom run, but I didn't move from the couch. "You coming, Bella?"

"Nope, I'm not going out there in the dark. Killers slice up idiot jocks and bimbo cheerleaders out in the woods at night." My voice was tight, but I didn't care, I was scared and pissed at them for picking these damn fool movies.

Jasper sighed and came to sit on the end of the couch. "Hey, Bella, why don't we go back to the main house and lock up and watch a comedy or something. Let them use the front door when they're done and Jake can hang out with us so you have a built in security system."

"It's fine, I don't want you to miss the movies," I said, but he was already pulling me over to the door.

"Bella, I've seen them all before, and this is bothering you. You shouldn't have to be uncomfortable, this is your vacation too," he said as we jogged up to the main house. As soon as we got in, Jasper found where Emmett and Edward were standing waiting for the girls to finish in the bathroom. "Guys, we're staying here, so take a set of keys and come in the front door tonight when you're done."

"No problem, we'll see you in the morning," Edward said, grabbing the keys as they headed out through the sliding doors.

Jasper went around locking up while I flipped through the channels, finding a Jeff Dunham special that was about to start.

"Do you like Jeff Dunham?" I asked as he walked back in the room.

"Love him," Jasper admitted. "Walter is hilarious."

"My favorites are Peanut and José Jalapeño on a Stick," I admitted.

We got comfortable on the couch and spent the next two hours laughing our asses off. I was hyper-aware of exactly where Jasper was the entire time, the energy still there though I wasn't pressed against him anymore.

The special ended and it was a little after midnight so we both decided to turn in for the night. Still not trusting myself after the horror movies, I looked under the bed and in the closet before locking Jake in the bedroom with me.


	3. Chapter 3

**Today was filled with pool time, mimosas, and we're about to break out the Rock Band ... vacation is made of win! Love to my girls in the NC, and mizzdee and Tropical Sorbet for their work on this. See you tomorrow afternoon, as I'm going to try to post earlier~**

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. This story is rated for lemons, language, and the normal teenage shenanigans.**

**Chapter 3**

**JPOV**

As soon as I heard Bella's door close I flopped down on my bed. I was so incredibly fucked it wasn't even funny. Edward had spent the last year telling me about his twin, but in all his talks about scaring pansy-ass guys who weren't good enough her, or about her meek and shy personality, he never once talked about how beautiful she was. I'd seen a few pictures of her, but they didn't do her a bit of justice. She was curvy and petite and those big brown eyes and pouty lips … fuck, now I was at half-mast.

Chief Swan had noticed that I was interested last night, pulling me aside to warn me that if I hurt her that no one would ever find my body. I wasn't even planning on acting on the attraction I was feeling, not sure that she felt the same way.

Every guy around her seemed to flirt or go out of their way to be nice to her, so I'm sure she was going to have no problem finding some dickhead to take her out. That thought pissed me off more than it should.

I changed into my shorts and went to bed, hoping that tomorrow my sense would return to me.

The smell of something cooking woke me up the next morning, and I walked out to see Bella in a tank top and shorts. She was cooking French toast and bagging up junk food, something I didn't get. She flipped the bacon and noticed me, smiling as she passed me a cup of coffee.

"How'd you sleep?" I asked, hoping she was able to get some sleep after the movie, but she was up before everyone again.

"Okay, I'm just finishing up breakfast and packing the stuff we're taking for the picnic," she said, turning back to her work.

"Picnic?" I didn't know we had set plans for anything.

"Edward mentioned that we were going to hike out today because it was supposed to be nice this morning and afternoon. We'll be leaving a little after breakfast," Bella said as she started to plate up the food.

Everyone came downstairs, as if they had internal alarms that told them the food was done, and started fixing their coffee and making their plates. I sat beside Bella and joined in the general conversation about the day.

When the meal was done we loaded up the dishwasher and went to get ready for the hike. We squeezed into Edward's truck for the drive into the Park, joking around the entire ride. Pulling into Mount Rainier, we got out and began our walk. I'd never been to Mount Rainier, but Bella kept telling us that we'd love the meadows at Paradise.

The hike was an easy since we were on one the paved trails and as we moved further into the park, you could see why it was called Paradise. Flowers of every color surrounded us and we hadn't even gone on the trail that was known for the wildflower meadows.

It took us an hour of slowly wandering, Alice taking candid shots with her camera the entire time, before we finished the first trail. There was still a little bit of snow around, so I wondered what we would find on the Paradise Flower trail.

The snow was scattered around the second hiking grounds, leaving more of the flora and fauna visible as we walked. Bella and Edward entertained us by telling stories about how Charlie would bring them hiking to Camp Muir, which was nine miles to a camp that you either slept inside if there was room, or pitched a tent if not. Bella wasn't a fast hiker, but Edward always promised that if she was able to keep up with them, that he'd take her here their last day as a reward. Bella blushed at the memory, saying that even if she fell behind he'd still bring her here on their annual trip.

Knowing that Bella wasn't the type of girl to shy away from things like camping and hiking was refreshing. I loved the outdoors and there were few people I could go with that I'd want to spend time in that close quarters with.

And thinking about close quarters with Bella had me thinking about how we'd keep warm in that tiny tent. Body heat was a very important resource.

"Jasper?" Bella called. "We're heading back down, you ready?"

"Sure am, Darlin'," I told her.

"Where'd you go just then?" she asked.

"Just thinking about you hiking with your brother and Charlie," I admitted. "Most girls I know wouldn't be caught dead doing things like that."

"It's the result of growing up around guys, there was no feminine influence in the house," she whispered.

I saw her face fall a little and I moved to reassure her. "I meant that as a compliment. I grew up on a ranch, remember? A girl that doesn't mind getting dirty, but can still clean up like you did the other night … you're a dangerous creature. No man alive stands a chance against that."

I watched that far away look return to her eyes, but then she started moving again, walking just far enough ahead of me so I could discretely watch the sway of her hips as she moved. Fuck me.

Not too long after, we got back to the visitor center, where we sat down at some picnic tables and dug into the lunch Bella had made. The sandwiches were great, and she'd packed up enough drinks and chips that we all had our pick of what we wanted.

She always seemed to be doing things like that. I remembered the care packages she sent Edward last year. Sometimes they were nothing more than a box of homemade cookies, but she always showed her love for her brother, and she put that same care into taking care of us.

After lunch we drove back to the cabin and I didn't miss that Rose and Emmett went upstairs while Alice and Edward vanished off to the game room. Bella moved right to the kitchen and started pulling out things to prepare for dinner.

I pulled up a barstool on the side of the counter in the main room of the house and watched her work. She had water boiling for what looked like a pasta dish, but she was also peeling potatoes and then she took out a can of corn and a small sauce pan.

Wanting to be of some help, I opened the corn and put it in the pan, earning a giggle from Bella. "What, I hate that you're busting your ass in here while everyone else is relaxing, let me help you."

"Keep me company, that's all the help I need," Bella told me. "I've been cooking since I could see over the stovetop and the only time my brother or father takeover is if they're grilling or it's a special occasion."

"What are you making for dinner tonight?" I asked, intrigued by what she had laid out.

"Southern fried chicken, baked mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, corn, and crescent rolls."

"Damn, Darlin', I think you're trying to make me fall in love with you with a menu like that," I exclaimed.

"I'm not trying the impossible, just making a one of my favorite meals to cook." Her blush was back and I couldn't figure her out right now.

I watched in awe as she moved around the kitchen, everything coming out when she wanted it to and I had to imagine that she was a master on Thanksgiving Day at the Swan house.

The others started showing up when the food was nearly done, Bella giving them jobs to keep them out of the kitchen. Edward and Alice walked in last, asking if we wanted to raid the game room tonight and play some pool and maybe a board game or two.

We agreed just as the food hit the table and all conversation ceased. Moans to rival a fucking porn escaped my mouth the minute I tasted the chicken, but thankfully, I wasn't the only one. Everyone complimented Bella on dinner as we ate in relative silence.

The dishes were taken on by everyone but Bella, since she cooked and the leftovers were packed away for us to pick at the next few days. Bella came back out of her room in a pair of cotton shorts and a long sleeved shirt, saying she was going to take Jake for a walk before we started to play.

I went down to the game room and racked the balls waiting for the others to get down the path. Bella was first and I watched as she picked up one of the pool cues and practiced her form. Her body seemed a little too twisted up, and her bridge hand was all wrong, so I got up to give her a few pointers.

"Do you mind?" I asked.

"Not at all," she said, handing me the stick.

"You have to keep your body in a line when you shoot," I explained. "Your right foot should be in line with the cue stick and your other should be at a forty-five degree angle. Now, rest your cue stick on your fingers, and if you're going to do a closed bridge, your pointer finger is the one that goes over the top."

I watched as she took in my posture and then I moved the stick. "Your elbow should be where all the movement comes from, a slow backstroke, and then a sharp strike."

Her tongue peeked out to wet her lips as I offered her the stick and told her to try. Her stance and form were much better, but she needed a few minor adjustments, so I stepped in behind her.

"More like this," I explained, bending her over a little more so her head was closer to the stick so she could see her angle. Her hips rocked as she took a few shots, brushing against me and freezing me in position over her. The fire that was raging through my crotch was fucking insane; it was like my dick was a magnet to this girl. I wanted nothing more than to wrap my arms around her and fuck her against the damn table, or on top of it, I wasn't particularly picky on the position at the moment, just so long as she was the woman I was with.

"Is that good?" she asked, oblivious to my impure thoughts.

"Keep your lower body from moving and it'll be perfect," I said as the lock turned.

I removed the rack and told Bella to take a few practice shots. Alice joined her in practicing and then we broke into pairs, Bella and I playing against the couples. We played cutthroat, and it was hilarious watching everyone try to not scratch because then their opponents got to put a ball back in play. Alice got annoyed, because she kept accidentally sinking her own balls.

Every time Bella took a shot I'd watch her bridge hand, so I wouldn't be tempted by the sight of her bending over.

We played four games before Alice gave up, convincing the girls that we should keep our teams and play Trivial Pursuit. I was okay with that, so we moved the game table back to where it had been yesterday and set up the game.

I shouldn't have been surprised that Bella nearly smoked everyone even without my help, so after we won our second game, Edward suggested we play Scene-it on party mode so we wouldn't have to worry about the board. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard as I did at some of the ridiculous answers we shouted out just so we could claim the point.

It started to get really dark out, and our day outside in the fresh air was catching up to us, so we cleaned up for the night and locked the game room. As a group we returned to the cabin and went to bed, my mind still traveling to the sight of Bella's hot little ass bent over in front of me.


	4. Chapter 4

******Okay, I've got chapter 7 nearly complete, so I'm hoping to finish up the last few chapters today or tomorrow so the wonderful, mizzdee can work her magic on it.**

******Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. This story is rated for lemons, language, and the normal teenage shenanigans.**

**Chapter 4**

**BPOV**

Yesterday could either be called a disaster or a miracle, all depending on how you looked at it. There were moments where I could feel the energy between us and I thought he'd try to make a move, or say something, but then it would pass and he'd be back to joking around. Maybe it was his personality, or the Southern charm, but every time he called me 'Darlin' I'd squeal a little internally.

I was so used to guys being scared off by Dad and Edward, or being the opposite of what I'd want, that I didn't know how to pursue a guy, or at least, successfully let him know I was interested.

It was particularly nice today, and we didn't have set plans so I went to check on something for breakfast. There was coffee on, so I toasted up a bagel when I saw Jasper walking out in his bathing suit.

"Checking out the hot tub?" I asked.

"Yeah, everyone else is asleep, so I figured I'd relax in there a bit. I know it seats six, but it's a pain once it gets crowded," he said.

"Okay, well I'm going to grab a bagel and then I'll just probably read for a while," I admitted.

"Join me," he said quickly. "It'll be nice to talk to you some more, and it'll give us both a chance to enjoy it before Emmett tries to do a cannonball into the water."

I laughed at that, he really did have Emmett pegged, and I told him as much. Agreeing to join him, I ate my breakfast and then started digging through my dresser for a bathing suit. One thing I loved about Alice, she understood that I wasn't the type to wear a super skimpy bikini. Every suit she got had an underwire top and acted more like a bra, supporting me and pushing the girls up, as opposed to being tiny scraps of fabric that comically tried to cover me. The bottoms were all cute and in the end I picked a graffiti pattern in bright colors and slipped them on. The bottoms were easy enough to live with, so grabbing my towel and my suntan lotion; I lathered up everything but my back and walked out to join him.

Jasper was playing with the settings on the hot tub when I got out there and he turned, his eyes bulging when he saw me.

"Can you put some suntan lotion on my back?" I asked, offering him the bottle.

"I'll do your back if you do mine," he replied, his voice dripping sex.

I nodded and let him turn his back on me as I squeezed a little lotion onto my hands, rubbing them together before I touched his back. Jasper's muscles were hard under my hands and I took my time rubbing in the cream. I traced his spine, a shiver ripping through him as he turned to face me. "My turn."

The feel of Jasper's hands on my skin was warmer than the sunlight as he smoothed his hands over my skin. I felt the lotion run out, but he still rubbed his hands along where my tattoo is on my lower back before he pulled back.

"What's the quote from?" he asked.

"'Everybody likes to go their own way-to choose their own time and manner of devotion.'" I quoted, "It's from Mansfield Park."

"That really is your favorite book to get a line from it tattooed on your body," he said and I just smiled and nodded.

"I really feel a kinship to Fanny Price," I admitted and then moved to lay my towel next to Jasper's.

He settled into the hot tub, and I moved to climb in, but the therapeutic seat was positioned where I was stepping in which caused me to slip, landing against Jasper's chest as he jumped up to catch me. The first thing I noticed was the way my breasts were pressed against his chest, his head close enough to rest on my cleavage. Next I registered where his hands had caught me, one holding me to him on the middle of my back, while the other had caught my butt. My hips were against his stomach and as Jasper realized where his hands were, he let go of me, my body sliding down him and rubbing against his very persistent problem.

I didn't move until Jasper did, stepping back and offering me his hand so I could sit beside him. I rested against his side for a while, enjoying the closeness until Edward's voice could be heard calling us. Jasper let him know where we were and Edward climbed in, squeezing in beside me and killing the moment.

Rose and Emmett took the remaining seats, and Alice climbed into the therapeutic seat so we all fit comfortably.

Edward was scheming, but I couldn't figure out what he was up to until he asked, "Rose, I still can't believe your Dad didn't flip out over your tattoo?"

Oh God, Edward didn't know about mine, and I hoped Rosalie wasn't about to rat me out. "You know my dad, he doesn't care about that kind of stuff. Your dad almost skinned Bella and me alive."

"Why would Bella …?" he paused and then turned to me. "Where is it?"

"He didn't know?" Rose asked, surprised.

"No, he's worse than my father when it comes to that shit," I grumbled before telling him, "It's on my back."

"What'd you get a butterfly?" he said sarcastically.

"No, I got a quote and need I remind you that you want to get one yourself."

"Yes, but I would do the research before I did it," he spit.

"I did," I countered, "Rose and I found a place in Seattle run by a former nurse. The place was spotless and we didn't have a single issue with it. In fact, I'll be going back there when I get my next one."

"Over my dead body," Edward quipped.

"That's easily arranged if you don't back off," I snapped.

"Really mature, Bella, are you sure you're ready to start college in the fall?"

Without another word, I climbed over the side of the tub and grabbed my towel as I went into the house.

Once inside, I showered and went into my room, locking the door behind me. Rose knocked on the door a while later, but I pretended to be asleep, hoping they'd just leave me alone. I must have actually fallen asleep; because Edward's sharp pounding woke me up.

"Bella, quit pouting and come out for dinner."

Putting my hair up in a messy bun, I unlocked the door and walked past him and into the dining room. They'd cooked some of the steaks that Edward had bought, making me wish I had more of an appetite but whenever I was upset, I couldn't eat.

I took a few bites and then pushed everything around, trying to make it look like I'd eaten more. Everyone was watching me, so I ate a little more, then picked up my plate and went to the kitchen to clean it before ducking into my room. Edward jumped up and grabbed me when I tried to pass.

"Bella, stop being such a baby," he said, and I snapped.

"Fuck you, Edward," I spat, through with his condescension. "You are only four minutes older than me. And even if you did graduate early, you don't get to treat me like a child. I'm eighteen, just like you are."

Breaking free of his grasp, I returned to my room, content to spend the night alone. It was a few hours later that Alice and Rosalie came into my room and pulled me out of bed.

"We're going to turn the living room into a little dance floor and get dolled up like if we were going to a club, it'll be good practice for the teen clubs we'll go out to starting in the fall," Alice explained as Rosalie started to brush my hair.

Alice did my makeup and then they raided my meager closet before Alice ran upstairs. Rose took the moment to check in with me. "We all told Edward that he's being a prick with how he's trying to parent you. Hopefully, he'll calm the fuck down."

"Change into this," Alice said as she returned to the room.

I noticed that she was wearing a little dress and Rosalie was wearing a skirt and a halter top, so as I held up the denim skirt and black beaded tank top, I looked at her.

"I didn't want to push it, you should be comfortable. And your brother has to get used to the idea that you're a woman and will be acting like one. He knows he's in trouble with me." Alice left after telling me that, and I changed, slipping on a pair of Alice's heels and meeting everyone in the living room.

They'd set up an impromptu bar on the outer counter of the kitchen and the space was opened up so we could dance in the open space of the kitchen and dining area.

The music was blaring, though I didn't know who was playing, as Rosalie and Alice pulled me between them and started dancing. The guys were leaning against the bar drinking and I could feel a set of eyes on me.

I peeked over my shoulder to see Jasper boring a hole in my back, his eyes were not the crystal blue that they normally were, but a dark royal as he watched me. A little emboldened by his gaze, I added a little more swivel to my hips.

We danced for a few songs and then went to grab some liquid courage. It was already ten-thirty, so I knew the rest of the night would be spent in our private dance club. Rosalie passed me a rum and coke and I quickly drank it down.

Jasper's voice was impossibly close as I finished my drink. "Slow down, Darlin', that's the hard stuff."

"I know what I'm doing, Jasper," I said, pouring some more rum into the glass before I added the coke.

"I'm not trying to stop you, Bella," he whispered, "but you didn't eat much for dinner and I just don't want you to get sick. Drink the next one a little slower so you can enjoy the night."

"You're right," I admitted, "thank you."

"Bella, get your hot lil ass over here," Rosalie called, ending our conversation.

The three of us danced for a few more songs before Rosalie vanished from behind me, and Edward came to claim Alice, leaving me alone in the middle of the room. I was about to head over to the barstools to sit down when I felt Jasper come up behind me.

"Dance with me, Bella," he said as his breath tickled my neck.

Leaning back into him, I moved to the beat of the music and let his hands guide me as he rocked my hips from side to side with his hands. Once he seemed content that I was into the dance, his hands snaked around me and he leaned in a little closer. I could feel every line of him against my back, including a very welcome bulge that was currently rubbing against the top of my ass. My eyes fluttered closed as his name escaped my lips.

As if it woke him up from a nightmare, Jasper was gone from behind me, the suddenness making me sway on my feet. The front door opened and closed softly, letting me know that I was just fooling myself.

I walked into my bedroom and changed, washing my face before I climbed into bed, ready for this day to be over. I heard the creek of my door opening and felt the moment Jasper sat down on my bed. I didn't want to turn and face him, sure the tears that had begun to fall would make me look even more pathetic than I felt, but his hand turned my chin towards him, taking away my choice.

"Don't cry, Darlin'. Things just got a little intense for me. It had nothing to do with anything you did."

I nodded weakly and he left, closing the door behind me.

I didn't sleep well, so when Jake nudged me in the middle of the night, I got up and took him for a quick walk. It was a little after three AM, and the rest of the house was asleep so I went into the living room and sat on the leather couch, turning on the TV.

Jasper's door was open, so I put the volume on low as I watched old episodes of 25,000 Pyramid on GSN. I didn't hear any movement from his room, so when I saw Jasper standing in the doorway, I shut off the TV and stood up.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to wake you. I'll just -"

My words were cut off by Jasper's mouth covering mine, his hands pulling me to him. I was quick to respond, my mouth opening to his. I felt him break the kiss, but he didn't break our body contact. I tried to catch my breath, giving him a chance to speak.

"I'm the one who should be apologizing, earlier was a little intense for me, and I was trying to get a moment of clarity. I wasn't sure how you felt about me until we were dancing and I heard you say my name like that, but it just got me thinking. I don't want to screw this up. I don't fuck around, Bella. My mother always taught me to respect women, but … I want you. I need to try and make this work, even with your brother being overbearing and your dad's death threat -"

"My dad threatened you?" That shocked me.

"He saw how much I was paying attention to you at dinner, and he told me in no uncertain terms that if I broke your heart then no one would ever find my body."

"I'm going to kill him," I whispered, but Jasper shook his head.

"Don't be mad at him, you're worth protecting. But I'm about to come to blows with Edward if he doesn't quit this shit. I think he sees it and he's trying to scare me off. He made a mistake though, because he's spent the last year telling me how amazing his twin is."

"You think I'm amazing?" I asked, and he nodded his head.

"I do, Darlin', now come over here." I let Jasper pull me over to the couch and into his lap as he resumed his kisses.

I was dizzy from his kisses, his hands gently tracing my back as the fires burned between us. I didn't have a lot of experience, but still, no one had ever made me feel like this just by kissing me. With Jasper, everything seemed to be more intense.

I rocked against Jasper once and then a door opened upstairs, stilling our movements. Feet thundered down the stairs as we saw Emmett round the corner towards the bathroom by my room. The house was so quiet that we heard him going to the bathroom through what was likely an open door, but we were frozen, afraid he'd hear our movement.

A minute later the toilet flushed and Emmett ran up the stairs, still half asleep. With the crisis averted, Jasper kissed my jaw. "I think we should head to bed and we can start things slow tomorrow. I have a feeling Edward will take a little while to be okay with this."

"We're not going to wait for him to be okay with it, will we?"

"No, we'll just ease into the PDA's for him. No need to rub it in his face," Jasper explained.

"You know my brother pretty well," I laughed. "Night, Jasper."

"Night, Darlin'," Jasper whispered and gave me one last kiss before I moved to my room to fall into a much more peaceful night's sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**********Sorry this is a little late, but there is a $2 movie theater down here and I just saw 'The Lucky One' it was a really good movie. Gave me a few lemon ideas for future with this one ;)**

**********Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. This story is rated for lemons, language, and the normal teenage shenanigans.**

**Chapter 5**

**JPOV**

I woke up the next morning with a giant smile on my face. I'd be damned if I wasn't the luckiest son of a bitch there was. Ever since I'd met Bella at her graduation I felt something for her and after nearly messing it up yesterday, I was able to tell her that I wanted her. Now, I had to keep Edward from killing me because of it.

I understood that it was his sister, but he's starting to get on my nerves with how he's treating her. This was her graduation trip and she's been taking a back seat to everyone else. That was going to stop though, starting with today.

Bella was excited as she ran around the kitchen making more snacks for us as we were spending most of the day in the park, so I jumped in to help with breakfast. I may not cook like Bella, but I could manage scrambled eggs well enough.

I was able to steal a few kisses before the couples emerged from upstairs, and Bella packed the soft cooler that was going in Edward's bag.

After breakfast, we drove to the northwest entrance to the park, exiting so we could begin our walk to the temperate rainforest at Carbon River.

It was a completely different experience from the meadows from two days ago, the thickness of the humidity in the air, even though it wasn't raining, it made me wonder how people survived in tropical rainforests. The browns and greens that surrounded us were unlike those I'd seen in my youth in Texas; Washington seemed to have its own set of colors and with the giant trees, these woods felt ancient. As we passed one felled tree, the roots standing twenty feet high as we walked by, you felt almost insignificant in the scheme of things.

We continued on the long hike, taking a break for lunch a little more than halfway along the nearly nine mile path. I sat close to Bella while we ate, annoyed that, beyond simple touches while we were crossing a more uneven piece of trail, or guiding her along, I hadn't been able to hold her since this morning. I was going to have to talk to Edward tonight, because with all the screwing they were doing upstairs, I wasn't going to be stopped from kissing Bella if I wanted to.

The afternoon continued as we finished our hike and then drove back to the cabin. The one lucky thing was there wasn't enough room for people to sit comfortably in the back, so Bella offered to sit on my lap, looking right at Edward when she did it. It seems my girl was making sure her brother was aware that things had changed.

That bumpy ride was torture for me because I knew she could feel me hard and ready beneath her and I was trying not to come in my pants like a thirteen year old. Thankfully, we made it back without incident, and Bella started making dinner.

Edward walked Jake and then got in the shower, so I wasn't able to pull him aside before dinner, but about halfway through dinner, I wish I'd forced him to listen to me.

"Hey, Emmett," Edward started, "do you remember the time that Bella fought us about how she could jump off the high dive, but when she got up to the top and saw how high it was, they had to get the maintenance guy to bring out the painter's scaffolding to get her down?"

"I was seven, that's high for a seven year old," Bella argued, but they just laughed.

"Or how about the time she went to see Dr. Cullen for her school physical?" Emmett said. "All the girls had such crushes on him and your dad walks into the waiting room and tosses her the water bottle she's put her urine sample in. I thought that blush would never fade."

"Edward Swan, that's enough out of you," Alice said as Rosalie smacked her boyfriend.

"I'm sorry Mary Alice Brandon, but we're just remembering some of Bella's comic moments. Hell, the only story we're missing is an awkward story of how she lost her virginity, but that's still a while off."

"Edward!" Bella screamed, but my mind grinded to a halt.

Bella was a virgin.

Shit.

Not that it changed anything, except that I'd have to be gentle when we got to that point, but now I was pissed at Edward even more. What the fuck was his problem airing her fucking business out like that?

I heard the scraping of the chair's legs against the floor as she left the room, opening my eyes in just enough time to see her clear the hallway.

"You're a prick," I said, standing up. I knocked on Bella's door, but there was no answer, so I turned back to Edward. "When she comes out, you're going to apologize to her."

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Edward yelled at me.

"I seem to be the only one of us to give a shit about her here, which is sad, because she's your sister."

"Watch your mouth, Jasper. I know you think you have some idea in your head about you and Bella, but -"

"You don't get to dictate her love life. If she wants to date me, then she can."

Pissed off, I stormed out the back door and lit up; hoping the cigarette would calm me down, but as it went to ash I realized that I'd left my ashtray on the front porch. Walking around to the front, I settled onto the porch to try and calm down before I slugged Edward. After chain smoking three cigarettes, I stood up to go back in when Bella's window caught my eye.

I walked over and was surprised to see it open, but what shocked me even more was the fact that the room was empty. Going back inside, the girls were cleaning up the dishes and the assholes were in the living room. Going to the kitchen I asked Alice about Bella.

"No, she's still in there," Alice said and I immediately started shaking my head.

"No she's not. The window is open and the room is empty, she must have run off."

"What did you say?" Edward asked, coming in from the back room.

"Bella's gone," I said, the tightness in my chest damn near crippling me. I had a really bad feeling about this.

"Fuck, everyone get dressed and check to see if there are any flashlights in one of the drawers or something. I have a few in my bag," Edward said, running upstairs to get his coat.

Five minutes later, we were splitting up into three groups, looking for Bella. I was on my own and happy for it, because it meant I could focus on finding her and not one of those boneheads.

It was starting to get dark, but in the woods it was already like night and as I swept through one patch out by the front of the house, I heard barking coming from behind me. Jake passed me, having pulled free of Alice's grasp and I followed him, knowing he'd find Bella.

When he did stop, I found what had caught his attention and my heart nearly stopped. Curled up in a ball, trembling from her tears was Bella.

"Bella, Darlin', it's okay, I've got you."

I lifted her up and started walking back the way I'd come, I'd left some good tracks and it had been more or less a straight path from the house.

Bella hadn't said a word since I'd found her and it was starting to really worry me when I got through the trees and Edward was running over from where he'd just come out of the area he'd been searching.

Edward pulled Bella out of my arms and marched her to the back porch and set her down, asking Alice to get the first aid kit. I stood back and watched as Edward asked Bella to shower and change into something so he could look at her knee, which was bleeding.

Not a single word was spoken between us while Bella was inside, and soon Rosalie and Emmett returned, having gone to check out behind the cabin.

"Is she okay?" Rosalie asked.

"She's showering, but she scraped her knee so I'll clean that up when she's done," Edward said.

"Why don't you let Jasper take care of her," Alice said. "She's not your biggest fan right now."

"You've got to be kidding me?" Edward said.

"Go upstairs and leave your sister alone until tomorrow when she's calmed down and you've had a chance to grow up," Alice pointed back to the house.

Everyone went upstairs, leaving me to wait for Bella. She finally came out with her pillow and a change of clothes stuffed into her purse. "Where's Edward?"

"Alice told him to leave you alone tonight," I explained. "What's all that?"

"I'm taking Jake and sleeping in the game room," Bella said, shifting her weight.

"Do you want some company?" I asked.

"No, I need some alone time," she whispered.

"Will you at least let me check out your cut?" I gestured to the scrape on her calf.

"Sure," she said, sitting down on the couch.

Opening the first aid kit, I sprayed the cut with bactine and then applied some antibacterial cream. Taking out a gauze pad, I bandaged her up and then noticed her ankle. "What happened out there?"

I watched her sigh, before Bella started talking. "I climbed out the window and took off. It didn't take too long before I tripped and rolled my ankle. Plus I knocked the wind out of me, so I just curled up and stayed there."

I picked up her bad ankle and moved it, noticing a slight wince, it seemed to just be bruised but there wasn't much swelling. "Let me wrap your ankle for you, and you should be all set."

"You don't have to do that. I'm not going to hold you to what we'd talked about yesterday," she told me, starting to pull back, but I didn't let her.

"I'm not going anywhere, Darlin'. You saw me freeze earlier and it made you doubt how I felt, but let me tell you what I was thinking. When Edward told me that you were a virgin, all it made me realize was that I had to plan something really special for when we do take that step. That's an important first for someone, and you deserve the best. I would be honored to be the one to share that with you, Bella, but only when you're ready. Edward may have been trying to scare me, but he failed."

Tears pooled in her eyes and I was worried that I'd said too much, but soon Bella's arms were around my neck. "Thank you, Jasper."

"You're more than welcome, Bella. Now, are you sure I can't convince you to sleep here?"

Shaking her head, she pulled back. "I have a lot of thinking to do."

"Night, Darlin'," I said with a kiss to her forehead.

"Goodnight, Jasper."

I followed her out onto the porch and watched as she and Jake made their way to the game room before I locked up for the night. I was even more upset with Edward after talking to Bella, and he would know just how much in the morning.

I'd been asleep for maybe an hour when I heard the phone ring for a first time. I didn't think about it, because it wasn't mine, but as it began ringing for the second, third and finally a fourth time, I went into the living room and answered the damn thing.

"Hello?"

"Edward?" Charlie's voice was gruff, and I was glad he wasn't asking for me.

"No, Sir, it's Jasper. Edward left his phone downstairs, but if you wait a minute I'll wake him."

"You do that, boy," was all Charlie said in response.

I climbed the stairs and banged on Edward's door loud enough to wake him. He pulled it open and I held out the phone so he could talk to his dad. "Hello?"

"Edward Anthony Swan, are you out of your goddamn mind? If I wasn't on the clock right now, I'd be on the way down there to kick your ass." Charlie's voice was loud enough that he didn't have to be on speaker for me to hear him from where I stood in the doorway.

"What, did Bella call you?"

"Yes, your sister called me hysterically crying, saying that you'd humiliated her in front of her friends and that boy she likes, and that she wants to come home. This trip was supposed to be a graduation present for her and to celebrate the end of their high school career and to introduce your old friends to your new ones so that you'd have a nice group come the fall. Now she's talking about transferring schools because her scholarships aren't tied to the university and spending the rest of the summer with your mother."

"She'd never go down there for real, Pops, she's just pissed at me," Edward countered, but it was the wrong thing to say.

"Don't be so sure, Edward. Your sister has always looked up to you. You're her twin and you're supposed to be connected more than normal siblings, but what you've done since she started showing interest in your friend isn't acceptable. She told me that if she goes to Renee's that she'll be ignored, but it was better than wilting in the shade of a mountain. That's how you made her feel. Is the boy still around?" Charlie's question pulled me out of my thoughts of Bella and what she was feeling down in the game room.

"He's around and he heard you, you aren't exactly using an indoor voice, Dad," Edward remarked as he handed over the phone.

"Sir," I said.

"Jasper, from what she told me, you're keeping the promise you made to me the other night, so do me a favor and try and talk her out of running off for the summer. This is my last chance to spend some time with her before she moves out."

"I'll do whatever I can, Chief. I'll even offer to take her to Texas with me when I go home, if she wants some time away, but I plan on working part of the summer in Seattle, so you'll get your time with her."

"Good man, Jasper," Charlie commented. "Do you have anything planned for the rest of the trip?"

"We don't have anything planned, but tomorrow I'm going to make some calls and see if I can plan a special day for her, just the two of us." I challenged Edward with my eyes as I made that comment, but he just held his hands up in surrender.

"Sounds like something her brother should have been doing all along," Charlie offered the passing shot at his son before he said goodnight to us.

"Jasper," Edward started, but I held up my hand to silence him.

"You really hurt her, Edward. Deeply. So there's no making it right with me, you get Bella to accept your apology, and get off my back, and then we'll be cool."

"Should I do it now, or wait until the morning?" he asked, and I could see that he felt bad about what happened.

"She's spending the night in the game room, so wait until the morning."

"Shit," Edward said as his head fell back. "I'm going to grovel something fierce in the morning."

"You do that. I'll see you in the morning."

I shuffled down the stairs and climbed into bed, ready to start planning for my special date with Bella in the morning.


	6. Chapter 6

**************Back on the train, but I wanted to give you the latest chapter. I'm writing chapter 8 right now, so I hope to be able to post that Monday, but we'll see how that goes. Enjoy the lead up to the date!**

**************Love to mizzdee and TropicalSorbet for their hard work on this.**

**************Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. This story is rated for lemons, language, and the normal teenage shenanigans.**

**Chapter 6 **

**BPOV**

I woke up with a bad headache from all the crying and a desire to just grab Jasper and drive away. I knew he would be going back to Texas soon for the summer and that made me sad. Even though we'd just met, Jasper was already important to me.

I changed and went to walk Jake when there was a knock on the door. I walked over to see Alice and Rosalie outside waiting for me.

"Bella, how are you doing?" Rose asked and I shrugged as we headed out towards the house so Jake could go to the bathroom.

"Do you think that I could pack my things and grab Jasper before Edward wakes up?" I asked and both girls laughed.

"It's a little late for that," Alice told me. "Edward didn't get any sleep last night, he just sat out on the balcony beating himself up over everything."

"What are you talking about?" I questioned, not convinced.

"Your dad called after he got off the phone with you and ripped Edward a new asshole, and then Jasper took his turn. I don't think Edward was thinking about how hurtful his actions were. He was just protecting you how a brother knows how. But you don't need protection, especially from Jasper."

I looked at Alice as Jake finished his business, Rose groaning as she cleaned it up and walked over to join us. I took the moment to ease my curiosity. "What did Jasper say?"

"You'll find out soon, now we better get up to the house before breakfast gets cold," Rose told me as she jogged up towards the house; my guess was to wash her hands.

I walked in and saw Emmett setting the table, but he stopped and pulled me in for a bear hug. "I'm sorry for my part in what happened yesterday. I'm supposed to by your friend, and a friend wouldn't do that. In my defense, I was a heavy baby and I think my mom dropped me on my head a bunch."

I laughed at his joke and hugged him back, glad that we were back to normal. Continuing into the kitchen, I slid in beside Jasper to see that he was working the waffle iron. "You're making waffles?"

Jasper nodded. "I am. The batter is idiot proof and this iron has an automatic setting so it shuts off when it's done."

"Don't put yourself down. I happen to like the person you're badmouthing," I told him as I leaned up to kiss his jaw.

"Feeling's mutual, Bella," he whispered as he took out a waffle and put it on the waiting plate, handing it to me so we could sit down.

Edward was coming out of the bathroom when I passed, so Jasper took my plate as Edward stopped me.

"Bella, I'm so sorry. I saw things happening between you and Jazz and I panicked. You're my sister and I've been protecting you since I was old enough to crawl, but I never meant for that to make you feel insignificant." He stopped speaking for a minute as he took a steadying breath. "You're the most important person in my life, always have been, always will be, and if Jasper makes you happy, then I'm going to have to get used to the idea of the two of you together. Just don't punish yourself to punish me, don't go stay with her, please."

"I forgive you, Edward. Just know that you can't ever do that again," I told him.

"I love you, Bella," he said as we moved to sit down.

Breakfast was finished quickly, the normal conversation and laughter helping to keep the mood light.

We spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon hanging out in the game room, the guys' competitive nature winning out in everything from monopoly to pool.

The difference that I felt now that Jasper and I weren't pulling away whenever somebody was close was amazing. Jasper seemed to like having some form of body contact, whether he was holding my hand or had me sitting in his lap, Jasper seemed to be taking full advantage of the freedom.

Edward was barbequing the last of the steak tonight, so I left everyone to their game of pool so I could season the meat and take care of the side dishes. Jasper followed me, saying that he was going to start some of his laundry, but as soon as his clothes were in the washer he was in the kitchen kissing my neck.

I quickly abandoned the salad I'd been working on and spun around so he could really kiss me. The counter was digging into my back, but I didn't care as his hands roamed my upper body. We were so involved in our make out session that we didn't hear the door open, but soon we were aware of Edward's presence.

"Jesus Fucking Christ, can you not fuck my sister on the counter," Edward groaned.

"Edward, if you think this is sex, then maybe you're just as virginal as I am," I teased, earning a deep chortle from Jasper.

"I'm going to change out my laundry and then make a few calls," Jasper said as he left the room.

Edward walked over to take the steak from the other side of the counter but I stopped him. "Are you mad at me for liking Jasper?"

"What? No … Bella, I'm trying to get used to seeing you with anyone, but Jasper's a good guy. I promise that I'm working on it."

"Okay, I just wanted to ask. You're more important to me than any guy could be, even if I like him as much as I like Jasper," I told him.

"Jasper's off making plans for you two tomorrow," Edward said a little out of the blue, "just promise that you'll tell him what you are and aren't ready for."

"I will," I promised, and then returned to the salad while he took the steak. The potatoes were cooking so now I was free to hang out.

Jasper called me into his room for a minute to give me an update on our big date tomorrow. "Wear jeans because we're spending the morning in the park, and pack a change of clothes, because I booked us a room for the night." I must have looked a little shocked, so he quickly told me. "I don't expect anything, I just want to be able to kiss you without the eighteen year old's version of a gagging sound interrupting us."

"Sure, I can do that," I told him and then ran towards my room.

On the way, I saw the pile of Jasper's flannel shirts on top of the washer and I smirked, grabbing one and burying it in the bottom of my bag. I put a few more things in the bag and leave the rest until later tonight.

Dinner was more of our normal teasing and fun and for once we went to bed at a normal hour, I was really excited for the mystery that was tomorrow and what it would bring.


	7. Chapter 7

**Here's the date you've all been waiting for...I've been told it's very good, I've turned TS into a Jasper girl for this story, at least.**

**Love to mizzdee and TropicalSorbet for their hard work on this.**

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. This story is rated for lemons, language, and the normal teenage shenanigans.**

**Chapter 7**

**JPOV**

I woke up the next morning all kinds of excited. Edward had made good on his promise to back off, even if he was struggling at the moment, and I'd made plans to take my girl out right. That had involved me calling my ma, because she needed to know about all of the charges to my credit card. My pops may run the ranch, but my ma ran the house and she'd make me pay out of my inheritance if I started getting stupid with money. Thankfully, when I explained that this was important and that Bella was a special woman, my ma was all for it. I'd pay her back out of my paychecks from the ranch during the month I was home and still have money left over when I came back to Seattle to start my work study.

My ma went one better, telling me that she wanted to fly Bella out for two weeks of the month I was in Texas. I told my ma that I would talk to Bella, but she was already planning what they'd do while I was working all day.

Bella made breakfast, telling me that she was done packing if I wanted to take the bag and throw my stuff in. I did just that, adding in my carefully folded suit and a dress and shoes for Bella that Alice gave me. Alice's need to be prepared for anything was definitely working in my favor, though I tried to ignore the strip of condoms she tucked into the side pocket.

I was not going to think about having sex with Bella that night.

After breakfast, we climbed into Bella's car and drove almost two hours to the Sunrise region of the park.

With our overnight bag in hand, we walked into the Sunrise Day Lodge where they had lockers available for our bag and then headed out to where we were meeting the guides for our horseback ride. When we got to the trailhead where we were supposed to meet them we found the horses waiting for us. After a few minutes discussing the trails we could take during our allotted time and the packed lunch they gave us and then we started our ride.

"I can't believe you planned this," Bella said as we moved onto the trail.

"Why?" I asked her, hoping that I hadn't made a mistake by choosing this as our activity.

"Because, since the moment you told me about your family's ranch, I've been thinking about you on a horse." I caught sight of her blush as it colored her skin.

"Really now?" I asked her, amused by her admission.

She nodded and then looked over at me. "Cowboys are sexy."

Fuck me.

"Thank you, ma'am," I said in my thickest drawl. It seemed to have an effect on her, so I would need to remember that for later.

We rode for a while, weaving along the trails until it was about halfway through our riding time. There were posts to tie the horses to, so I grabbed the blanket and our lunch and set out a picnic.

"This is so peaceful, Jasper. Thank you for coming up with such a fun activity."

"You're welcome, Darlin'." I smiled at her renewed blush and took a bite of my sandwich.

We ate quietly, the scenery around us giving the perfect setting. I noticed the way Bella kept peeking over at me so I winked and then looked back at the horses. "You ready to head out?"

"Yeah, you mentioned going somewhere else before dinner?"

I nodded. "There's another trail near here that leads to a waterfall, I thought you'd like that."

"It sounds beautiful, let's go," she told me as we packed up and I helped lift her back on top of her horse.

Bella was quiet again the entire ride back and even when we began our walk up the waterfall trail. I couldn't figure out what I might have said to upset her, so I kept my mouth shut until she decided to talk to me. It wasn't until we got to the waterfall that she started to open up.

"Jasper, how is it that you were still single when we met?"

Oh.

"Because I'd gotten out of a relationship and I wasn't looking for someone else until I met you," I explained honestly. I'd tell her all of this if it meant she understood how special she was.

"A girl in Seattle, or back in Texas?" she asked, prompting me to tell my story.

"In Texas. Maria and I were high school sweethearts and she was pissed that I looked outside of Texas for schools. The truth was I wanted to see some of the world and really be on my own. My whole life is mapped out for me so college is my chance to live my own way. I had told her we could make it work. We'd talk on the phone and skype, and visit for weekends. She was angry, but agreed to try. The first time you visited Edward back in October had been the weekend I'd flown home to surprise her.

"I had my sister Lucy and her husband drive to the airport in two cars so I could drive straight to her house and they could go home. When I got there, she was making out with some guy named Riley. Needless to say, I broke up with her and have stayed clear since.

"When I got back to Seattle I went on a few first dates, but I never really wanted to go on a second date. I kind of swore off dating for a while. Then I watched you walk across the stage at your graduation and the connection was immediate. I needed to get to know you. And everything I've learned made me like you more. We will make this work." I tried to let the conviction carry into my tone so she knew I was serious.

Bella smiled up at me as her hand reached up to brush the hair out of my eyes. "She was an idiot. I plan on doing everything in my power to keep you as long as I can."

Her words made me ridiculously happy, but the fact that she was already expecting this relationship to come to an end worried me. "Darlin', I don't want to scare you by saying this too soon, but I don't see this ending."

"We just started this, you don't know how you'll feel in a month, or a year …"

"I know how I feel about you, I wish you would believe me -"

"I don't doubt you," she cut me off. "I doubt me. I'm nothing -"

Rushing to end her self-deprecation, I said, "I want you to come out to Texas while I'm home. Come in the middle of the month so it breaks up the time we're apart. Come see the ranch and let me introduce you to my family. I'm going to be running the business with my brother and sister, so I need you to understand what life with me would entail. I promised your father not to toy with you, so I'm laying it all out there for you."

"You say that like you know you're going to marry me," Bella said in a shaky voice.

"I'm not sure about marriage, but I would like to show you my world so you can see if you can fit into it. I love working on the ranch and running it has always been my dream. So I need you to find some joy there too."

"Guys like you aren't supposed to exist outside of literature," Bella mused and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Darlin', I'm far from perfect, but I know when to hold onto something special, and you're it."

I saw the tears well up in Bella's eyes as she tipped up to kiss me. I held her against me as our lips melded together. When we pulled back, her eyes were bright again, bringing a smile to my face.

"Do we have to get going for our reservation?" she asked.

"We should, do you need to shower or do you just want to change at the visitors' center?"

"Could I shower? I smell like horse and I don't think that'll go over well at the restaurant," Bella asked.

"Sure, they have facilities at the Lodge, so we'll use them before we go onto the restaurant." I took her hand and began to lead her back towards the Lodge.

By the time we got to the Lodge, we had just enough time to get cleaned up before we had to make our way to the gondola that would take us to the Summit House. I'd managed to get us last minute reservations and I was excited to see her reaction.

I'd seen the dress that Alice had picked out for her, but seeing the knee-length halter dress on her was another thing altogether. The dark blue was the perfect color for her to wear and she was wearing her hair down, which just added to her beauty.

It seemed that she liked my attire too because she was staring at me with hungry eyes.

"Ready," I asked, offering her my hand again.

"Sure am," she told me.

We drove to the parking area close to the gondola, but as we got close, Bella stopped in her tracks. "You're taking me to Summit House?"

I heard the apprehension in her voice and saw it on her face as I pulled her close. "Yeah, why is there a problem?"

"Did you forget Edward's story about the high dive?"

"Yes, but you said you were afraid because you were young." I couldn't believe she was afraid of heights.

"No, I said it was natural to be afraid at that age, I never said that I got over it." Her expression was so serious, that I had to ease her concern.

"I promise, Bella, you'll be fine. I'll keep you distracted the entire ride."

"Distract me how?" Her eyes danced as she looked back at the gondolas.

"I think you have a pretty good idea," I told her as I began leading us back towards the line for the gondola ride.

I handed over the tickets and led her into the gondola car, sitting down and pulling her beside me as it started moving. Bella stayed tense beside me so I squeezed her hand to gain her attention. "I noticed your kindle was sitting out last night, so I started reading it."

"Did you like it?" Bella asked, successfully taking the bait.

"I thought it was interesting, but I'm not sure how I feel about the fact that you identify with someone who is so thoroughly pushed aside and disregarded. How can you feel that way? For all his faults, Edward explained to Alice when they started dating that you were going to come first, that he would never cheat or break her heart, but that his family was most important. I don't think he could have said anything to make Alice's Southern heart melt more than that?"

Bella shifted beside me. "I thought I noticed a little bit of an accent, where is Alice from?"

"You mean Edward has never mentioned how she's his Mississippi Miss? She grew up in Biloxi, but her accent is really well hidden, she has to be drunk or screaming for it to be noticeable."

"Good to know," Bella said as she moved a little closer. "And to answer your question, Fanny did what was right, and what was expected of her, because she didn't expect much out of her life. The only person she felt she could love was with someone else and he'd never even looked at her as more than his friend. It took him falling in love with someone else and realizing she wasn't what he wanted for himself to see Fanny clearly. But for Fanny, it was always Edmund. I was just waiting for my Edmund."

My hand moved up to cup her cheek. "Do you think you've found him?"

"I hope so," she whispered.

"Don't worry, Bella, you have. I've already had my Mary Crawford, and I can see you clearly, Darlin'."

Bella smiled as she leaned in and kissed me, which was how we spent the last few minutes of the ride.

The gondola door opened and I helped Bella out, leading her into the restaurant where we were seated by the large windows that offered a panoramic view of the mountains. A server came over and took our drink orders while we read the menu.

After placing our orders, the conversation continued to flow between us. I knew that neither one of us was ready to say something like 'I love you' but what we'd said was almost as important. We knew that we cared about each other and that we were going to give this an honest try. I would wait for us to be ready to take all of those steps and I would let Bella know just how important she was to me every day. I had to.

"Jasper, where'd you go?" Bella's voice pulled me from my thoughts.

"Just thinking." I hedged my bet.

"Well, I was trying to thank you for today; it was a wonderful first date."

"I'm glad you liked it," I told her. "I wanted it to be special."

The server brought over our appetizers and we began eating. Moments like this with Bella were perfect, because we didn't need to have deep conversations all the time, we could talk about the amazing view, or our food and things felt right, like this wasn't a first date.

Maybe the last several days helped with that, because we'd gotten to know each other enough that the awkwardness wasn't there. As the meal continued and our entrees arrived, I watched Bella's eyes as they moved from the view outside to me.

"You mentioned something about us staying somewhere private tonight, any chance that you'll tell me where?"

"Soon enough, Darlin'," I said with a wink.

We ordered dessert, but only after Bella insisted that I split it with her. I watched her eat the chocolate fudge cake she'd ordered, my mouth going dry with each bite. I finally got around to eating, but my mind was traveling to places that I had promised we wouldn't go until we were ready.

After I settled the check, I escorted Bella outside. The gondola ride was much easier to handle this trip, as Bella and I spent much of it in a pretty intense lip lock. We got to her car and I drove to Alta Crystal Resort, which once again, caught Bella's attention.

"Jasper, these rooms are expensive," she told me as I pulled her along to the reception desk.

"Bella, its fine. My ma knows that I was spending money on today, and she knows that I'm going to be paying her back out of my pay next month at the ranch."

"You need the money; it's why you're working all summer. You shouldn't spend it on me," she argued.

Taking her hand as I waited for the woman to return to the counter and help us, I said, "Bella, I'm doing the work program for my degree, it isn't financial aid. And as far as working on the ranch goes, I love my work there. But you have to get used to the fact that I'm going to spoil you a little. I have money and I will use some to give you an idea of how I feel beyond what words can express."

"I'm sorry about the confusion, but here are your keys," the concierge said as she passed me the little folder that held our room information.

"Thank you," I said, leading Bella back outside.

It was a short walk to our little one bedroom chalet, and once inside Bella was looking everywhere. "This is amazing; it's spacey but is still quaint. I love it."

"That makes me feel better. I was worried about this," I admitted.

"Well, don't be, it's perfect. Now, I'm going to change, but I'll be out in a few." Bella took a handful of things out of the bag and vanished before I could comment. I took the opportunity to change myself, before I found GSN and decided to see if she wanted to watch this or look for a movie or something.

I didn't hear her come out of the bathroom, but when she entered my line of sight my heart nearly stopped beating. Bella was standing in front of me in one of my flannel shirts and maybe panties from what I could tell.

"Bella, what are you …" I started but she shook her head.

"We can watch a movie anytime, Jasper," Bella whispered as she took the remote from my hand. "I want this."

"You're sure?" I asked.

With my free hand still in hers, she stepped between my legs and placed my hand on her breast. "I'm sure, baby."

With no restraint left after she told me that she wanted me, I led her to the bedroom so that I could begin to worship her.

I took my time; stripping down to my boxers first and then reaching up to slowly unbutton the shirt she was wearing. Bella was breathing heavy and I couldn't help to trace the swell of her breast with the backs of my fingers as I continued moving down the front of her shirt. When it was finally open, my breath was coming out in pants this time.

"Christ, Bella, you're beautiful."

I pulled her to me and kissed her hard; my hands ran up to her shoulders and pushed the shirt off her body. My hands slipped around her back and pulled her flush against me. It felt so good to hold her like that as my lips attacked hers.

"Jasper," Bella whisper-moaned and it reminded me of the other night when we were dancing.

"Lay down, Darlin'," I said as I moved her to the bed and let my fingers find the waistband of her panties.

I pulled the last piece of clothing off of her and then took a deep breath, she was gorgeous. My fingers glided over her skin and I settled beside her. My lips traced her breast and her fingers dug into my hair, holding me to her.

She was distracted by what my lips on her felt like, so she didn't even notice my fingers until they brushed her sensitive flesh. "I need to make sure your body is ready, Bella, this could be painful the first time."

"Jasper, I'll be fine," Bella panted as I dipped a single finger into her.

"Shit, you're tight. I'm going to have to be careful," I started saying to myself when Bella pulled on my hair and made me look at her.

"Jasper, I'm a virgin but that doesn't mean that I haven't … I mean you don't have to worry about …" Bella was crimson and I started to get worried a little so I pulled back to look her in the eye.

"Bella?"

"I have a vibrator, so there's nothing down there to … you know."

And I think I just got even harder. Fuck. The image of her pleasuring herself was too much.

"I'm still going to make you feel good first," I explained as I returned my attention to her lower lips.

I added a second finger and began to pump them in and out as my thumb played with her clit. Bella shook against me a few times as the sensations continued to build, but as I returned my attention to her nipples she exploded, her body gripping my fingers tight and all I could think was what it would feel like when I was inside her.

As her orgasm receded, I removed my fingers from her and smiled to myself as she whimpered softly. I was gone as long as it took me to grab one of the condoms Alice had stuffed in our bag and return to her.

"You'll tell me if you want to stop?" I asked, but Bella was already reaching up to pull me back to her.

"Stop trying to get out of this, unless you don't want to?" The fear was present in her eyes for a minute before I was throwing off my boxers and rolling on the condom.

"Believe me, I want this. Now, lay back, Darlin'."

I climbed up Bella's body and settled between her legs, my lips once again attaching to hers as I rocked against her a few times. Bella met my motion with her own and I could feel her coat me with her arousal. Leaning up, I lined myself up to her entrance and looked down to see her love and trust for me reflected in her eyes.

I pushed forward slowly until she had somehow taken all of me in and given us both a chance to recoup and adjust to our new reality. Once I knew that she's okay, I pulled out of Bella and then pushed back in.

My strokes were sure and even at first, but as Bella wrapped her legs around me and rocked up to meet me, her whispered words of 'more' and 'faster' gave me all the direction I needed. I quickened my pace and let the sensations wash over me until I was thrusting hard and fast, thankful that every incoherent vocalization from Bella seemed to be positive. I focused on her reactions and her body until I heard her breathy moan.

"Oh, God … Jasper, I'm almost there. Please, baby, make me cum."

My movements were jerky and erratic as I pounded into her, the feeling of her clenching down on me was the sweetest torture I'd ever felt. The sensations were too much and soon I was falling over the edge after her, my body falling heavy on top of her as we both tried to regain our breath.

When I felt my body begin to regain some semblance of normalcy, I rolled off of Bella and went to clean up. I returned to find her curled up on the bed facing the wall.

"Bella, is everything okay?"

"It's amazing, believe me. Was that …? I mean, did you …?" Her blush intensified and I couldn't help but chuckle.

"It was the best sex I've ever had," I told her honestly.

I watched her entire face scrunch up as she yawned. "Can we go to sleep?"

"Sure, Darlin', whatever you want."

"You may regret that if I wake you up in the middle of the night for round two," she said as she dissolved into giggles.

"Trust me, Bella. I'd do everything but regret it when you do that."

As she drifted off in my arms, I couldn't help but smile like the lucky bastard that I was, because today couldn't have gone any better.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 9 is just back from my beta, and I'm working on the epilogue now, so it should be complete this week. Thank you all for your support!**

**Love to mizzdee and TropicalSorbet for their hard work on this.**

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. This story is rated for lemons, language, and the normal teenage shenanigans.**

**Chapter 8**

**BPOV**

I woke up in the early morning to the heavy feeling of a body wrapped around me. Jasper's arm was tight around my waist and his chest was pressed into my back. He was warm and solid against me and I didn't move out of fear of waking him and bursting the bubble.

Yesterday had been amazing, but last night had been more than I could have ever dreamed possible. A part of me wanted to cry at the thought of him leaving to head back to Texas, until I remembered his invitation. I had no idea how I would afford it on such short notice, but I knew that I would find a way to make the trip.

I realized that I needed to go to the bathroom, so I managed to untangle myself from a deliciously naked Jasper and picked up his shirt on my way to the door.

Once inside, I took care of what I needed to and then looked myself over in the mirror. My hair was a rat's nest, and my skin had a faint flush to it that I'm sure Alice and Rose would describe as a glow. I knew that I'd have to shower before we got back to the cabin, but the idea of washing away Jasper made me sad.

Deciding that I'd lingered in the bathroom long enough, I opened the door only to find Jasper staring at me.

"I didn't like waking up alone, I was worried last night had been a dream," he said as he held his hand out for me to join him back on the bed.

"Well, let me tell you, that waking up in your arms was pretty wonderful. And I would have stayed right where I was if I hadn't needed to use the restroom." I settled back on the bed, facing him this time, and let his arms envelop me again.

"How do you feel this morning? Are you sore, or tender?" Jasper's face was puckered in this adorable way that had me wanting to kiss him, but first I had to ease his nerves.

"I'm fine, honey," I whispered and then leaned in to kiss him.

"I like that, 'honey.'"

"Well, I need a pet name for you, and as much as I may enjoy calling you cowboy in my head, I want something a little sweeter."

"I love it, Darlin'. Now, do you have anything you wanted to do before we get back to the others?"

"I have to take a shower, but I don't have thoughts beyond that."

I looked up at his groan and was met by Jasper's intense gaze. "You're killing me, Bella. We may never make our brunch reservation if you say things like that to me."

"What did I do?" I asked, completely oblivious.

"You're a little overdressed for this conversation." Jasper grinned as he tugged on the shirt I was wearing. "How about we continue this talk in the bathroom?"

"The bathroom …?" I was about to ask him what I'd done again when it finally clicked. I could feel the heat of the powerful blush that was coloring my skin.

"Forget I said anything, Bella. You go and take your shower and I'll pack our things so I can get in after you're done." Jasper got up and began moving around the room.

"Jasper, I was just a little dense, that doesn't mean that I didn't want to."

He just shook his head and continued to search for his clothing. "I keep forgetting that you've never been in a sexual relationship. My pecker got the better of my head for a minute, but I'm not going to pressure you into having sex, you're calling all the shots."

Smirking, I let my fingers work through the buttons on the shirt I was wearing and then shrugged out of it. "If that's the case, then will you please show me what you were talking about? It seems a terrible waste to go into the shower and touch myself when you're so much better at it."

Jasper's movement was too fast for me to fight off as he bent down and wrapped his arms around my thighs, throwing me over his shoulder and running for the bathroom. I got one good swat in to his ass before he had me back on my feet, my body sliding slowly down his as he righted me again.

I shivered at the sensations as he lowered his mouth to mine and kissed me. His whole body pressed against mine and I moaned into his open mouth as we explored each other. Jasper pulled away first, but only to begin fixing our shower. I was watching him, a little nervous about how this would go, but Jasper seemed to have it all figured out.

"Come here," he called and I joined him in the shower. "I know about your birth control because I saw you take it the other day, but I have to ask before we get going, are you okay with not using a condom this time? The water makes it more difficult to use one, but if you still want me to then I'll grab one."

"I trust you, Jasper," I told him, and he closed the curtain and we began to shower.

The level of normalcy I felt with Jasper like this was a strange for me so soon, but it also felt right, so I went with it. We washed our hair and bodies before Jasper's hands captured my hips and pulled me sufficiently under the spray.

"Face the wall and spread your legs, Darlin'." Jasper's husky whisper sent a tremor through me as I did what he asked.

His hands guided my body so that I was bent over a little more, and my hands were firmly planted on the tile, as were my feet. I felt Jasper step in behind me, his cock nestling itself in my ass as he reached around to touch me.

"Are you ready, Bella?" he asked against my ear.

"Yes," I whimpered as he pushed two fingers into me briefly, stretching me a little before he lined himself up at my entrance. Jasper pushed in about halfway, before pulling out and slamming back in all the way. My words were jumbled as I stumbled forward, Jasper's hands catching me and pulling me back to where I had been.

"Hold on tight, Darlin', this is going to be a little rough."

I gasped as Jasper withdrew and thrust forward again, filling me in new and unbelievable ways as he set a much faster pace than he had last night. His hips smacked my ass as he pounded into me, his right hand having drifted down to play with my clit and his left was teasing my left breast. I was on sensory overload and I could feel my orgasm building as Jasper kept his relentless pace.

Jasper leaned in and pressed his body against mine so he could whisper, "Bella, I can feel you getting close, but I need you to get ready, because I'm going to make you cum twice before I'm done."

I moaned as he doubled his efforts and I was done for, his body knowing exactly what I needed and giving it to me. Jasper stepped forward, pushing my chest up against the tile, the cool surface drawing its own sensations as Jasper kept pressure on my clit with his talented fingers and he held me firmly in place.

My second orgasm wasn't a build, but instead it was a tidal wave that knocked the strength out of me. Jasper's sure hands held me to him as his own release came, the loud grunt that was followed by the sensation of him cumming inside me.

Jasper slipped out of me and then I felt a washcloth on my skin before the water was turned off. I was alone for a minute or two before Jasper returned with a pair of towels for me, one for my hair and the other for my body.

We got dressed and then finished packing, saying goodbye to the room as we checked out and then drove to the Paradise Inn for brunch.

The meal was so delicious, and Jasper continued to be attentive, making sure that beyond the fact that he'd already worn me out, nothing else was wrong.

It was still almost two hours to drive back to our cabin but I fell asleep early in the ride, so I wasn't aware that we were back until Jasper's hand cupped my cheek. "Darlin', we're back."

"Hi." I smiled at him, and he leaned in to kiss me before taking my hand and leading me into the cabin.

Everyone was eating lunch when we got in, so we went to pack our things up so that we'd be ready when we had to leave in the morning.

Alice came in with Rose and I immediately turned fuchsia. "Oh, my God, how was it? Was it romantic? Did he sweep you off your feet?"

"Calm down, Tinkerbelle," Rosalie teased Alice as she waited for an answer herself.

"It was perfect," I began. "He took us horseback riding and then we went on a hike to a waterfall. We talked and he put a lot of my fears to rest. Then the idiot brought me to dinner at the Summit House, which required a fifteen-minute gondola ride."

"That all sounds interesting, Bella, but we want to hear about what happened in the hotel room." Rosalie winked and I simply shook my head.

"Alice you should know a lady never tells, isn't that a topic in finishing school?" I teased her, having learned that she was originally from Biloxi.

"It's been a long time since I've been to Mississippi, Bella, and I'll have you know I failed out of finishing school," she snarked back, but thankfully I was saved by the door swinging open to reveal Edward.

"Bella, do you mind cooking tonight? We have dessert covered, but there's some more chicken left and you know I don't have an internal clock for barbequing chicken."

"Sure, I don't mind. But what are you planning for dessert?" I asked.

"We got the stuff for s'mores and we figured we could use the fire pit out back," Edward explained, being the calmest he'd been since he started to realize that Jasper and I had feelings for each other.

"Okay, I'll come up and start cooking around five? Did you guys have plans before then?"

"How does games in the game room sound? We're going to break up into teams." Edward shot me a quick look, so as we all headed down to meet up with the rest of the guys; I slowed down so we could talk.

"Did you have a nice time yesterday?"

I was surprised by his question, but answered it so he could ask what he really wanted to know. "I did, Jasper planned a pretty amazing day for us."

"Good," Edward said. "You look happy, Bella. Really happy. That's all I want for you, so if he's the one to do it, then I'm glad that I introduced you. Even if I was a prick about it."

"Already forgotten, Edward. You're too important to be pissed off at," I teased as we rejoined the group.

A couple hours of men verses women Pictionary and couples Trivial Pursuit later, I was going up to start dinner, but for once everyone came up to start the grill and hung out while I did the sides and then threw the chicken on the grill. We had a few drinks and joked around until dinner was ready and then we moved inside to eat.

Jake was right there trying to beg for food as we had our last meal at the cabin, all of us joking and having a blast.

The girls did the dishes as the guys tried to start the fire pit, and we were lucky enough to enjoy the rest of the night by the fire. The s'mores were messy, but I loved licking the sticky goo off of the corner of Jasper's mouth.

After a few more hours of bonding over some comedy specials we found on Comedy Central, we all turned in. Jasper tugged me into his room and we were soon naked with Jasper under me as I rode him.

"Fuck, Darlin', I was fantasying about this the night I woke up to see you sitting out there watching TV," Jasper managed to say between pants and tugs on my nipples.

It seemed that Jasper has a thing for my boobs.

"Really, Cowboy? You could have saved us both a few days' grief if you had just dragged me in here and had your way with me," I told him. "You have to repay the favor, though."

"Whatever you want, beautiful. Name it."

"My dad works the night shift on Monday and Tuesday." I clenched around him to drive home the point and he started to unravel.

"Naughty girl," he whispered. "Oh shit, Bella … you are a temptress. No one should feel this good."

Emboldened by his statement, I leaned forward and increased my pace, sending us both spiraling off the edge. I collapsed on top of him and we cuddled together, enjoying our last night at Mount Rainier.

I woke up early, but wasn't about to get up before Jasper woke up this time. He was staying with us until Wednesday afternoon when he flew home, and I was going to enjoy it. When he did stir, we spent a few moments kissing before getting dressed and getting in separate showers.

Soon we were all downstairs making sure we'd packed everything before packing up the cars so Edward could return the keys to the office before continuing on towards Forks.

Jake jumped in the back seat of my Rabbit and we drove ahead of Edward, stopping at a drive-thru on the way, knowing they would do the same after they checked us out. Jasper and I joked around most of the drive, talking about my trip to Texas, which was now just a matter of how it would happen. He seemed pretty insistent that his mother wanted to cover my flight cost, but that felt weird to me. I had my graduation check from my mother, which I had planned to use to get some things for my dorm room with Rosalie, but I could live without some of those things right away, or I could ask Rosalie to share some of her mother's Bed, Bath & Beyond coupons and use the 20% to soften the bottom line. Either way, I was going to Texas.

When we pulled up to the house, I let Jake out and Jasper carried our bags as I went to unlock the door. My dad was already there, a knowing look on his face.

"How'd the Rabbit drive?"

"Like a dream," I told him.

"That's good, how was the end of your trip? Did Edward straighten up and fly right?"

"Yes, Dad, he was fine. And I'm not going to Florida for the summer." I decided to ease his worry right away.

"That is great news." He smiled, pulling me into a hug as he shook Jasper's hand.

"But I am going to Texas," I rushed out as my father started laughing.

"Here, book your flight before Jasper heads back," my dad said, handing me a credit card.

"Dad, I can pay for my own flight," I lied as coolly as I could.

"I'm sure you can, but I want to. If a week visiting Jasper and his family can help keep that smile on your face, then its well worth the money."

"Well, it's two weeks, but thanks Dad, really."

"So, Bella, do you want to call my mom and nail down the dates?" Jasper asked as he put his arm around my shoulder.

"Sounds good," I replied.

"Excellent, I'm going to order pizza for everyone; I'll be back in a few." My dad left the room and I just stared at where he had been standing.

"Did that just happen?" I asked Jasper.

"It did, and I'm glad because it means you're coming to Texas."


	9. Chapter 9

**I'm writing chapter 10 now, so I hope to get you the epilogue to you very soon.**

**Love to mizzdee and TropicalSorbet for their hard work on this.**

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. This story is rated for lemons, language, and the normal teenage shenanigans.**

**Chapter 9**

**JPOV**

The wait was killing me. Rain had delayed Bella's takeoff from Seattle and now I was standing in my nicest ranch wear to pick her up at the airport. I may have dressed a little more normal when I was in school or around town, but when I was on the ranch I fell back into my denim and work shirts, paired with my boots and a Stetson.

I was nervous about how Bella would react to my Texas makeover, but she did seem to have a thing for cowboys, so I wasn't worried.

My pacing had drawn the attention of a few security personnel, but I'd explained that my girl was coming in and she was three hours late. That seemed to ease their concerns a little.

Another flood of people came down the escalators and her flight finally had a baggage carousel assigned to it, but before I could figure out which one it was, I caught sight of Bella as she tried to weave through the people just standing around and waiting for the escalator to do its job.

I strode over to where she would get off and as soon as she was clear of the last person, she sprinted to me, throwing her arms around my neck.

"God, I've missed you, Darlin'."

"I've missed you too," she whispered before she pulled back. "You don't play fair coming to get me decked out like that."

I laughed and took her hand. "I wish I could say that this was all for you, but unfortunately we're a little late for your big 'Welcome to Texas' bash."

Bella stopped moving and gripped my hand harder. "What did you do?"

"Nothing, Bella. Every summer, my family throws a big Texas barbeque for the employees and business associates, as well as friends. My mom just made sure that you came here when it was scheduled. It isn't a, 'everyone, this it Bella' thing so much as a 'Bella, this is Texas' one. We'll be getting there right around when they start bringing out the food, so we'll be okay."

Bella sulked a little. "Jasper, I'm not dressed for that, I don't want to stand out at this thing."

"You won't. Will you trust me?"

"You're a man in love; I can't trust what you say. But I trust what Alice helped me pack so give me a minute once I get my things." I was a little afraid of what a shopping trip with Alice meant for me, but nothing compared to what I was terrified of when I saw her trying to drag two giant suitcases off the carousel.

"Let me help you with those," I told her as I attempted to lift the bags of bricks. "You know you're only down here for two weeks, right?"

"I have no idea what we're doing while I'm here, so I asked Alice to help me plan for every possibility. And I needed new suitcases for when I go to school. It was my mother's money well spent."

I groaned at the mention of that woman. How someone as selfish as that could give birth to my girl was unreal. I should be grateful that she always sent the child support to Charlie on time.

With the bags in our possession, we walked over to the restrooms and Bella stood there staring at her bags before taking the smaller of the two and heading into the bathroom.

I waited patiently, until I realized that she seemed to be bathing in the sink from the length of time she was in there. I was shocked to see it was only fifteen minutes later that she walked out in a turquoise cotton dress and a pair of chocolate cowboy boots.

"How do I look?" Bella asked as she walked over.

"Like something out of my wet dream in those boots," I whispered as she reached me.

"Dirty boy," she teased with a smack.

"Damn straight," I deadpanned.

Taking her suitcases, we walked out to the parking garage and made our way to the car. The drive was nearly an hour, and it was filled with Bella's need for a rundown of the night. It was adorable how nervous she was about this, and I kept telling her that my family would love her.

We pulled into Southfork just as the party started to swing, so I took Bella to the main house and showed her to our room.

"Your parents didn't put me in a separate room?" she asked.

"No. My ma asked if I wanted you to have a separate room or not and I told her it wasn't necessary. There aren't a whole lot of secrets in our family. My parents don't care if I'm having sex with my girlfriend, they do care if I try to sneak around and hide what we're doing," I explained.

"So they know everything going on in your life?" Bella asked, seeming worried again.

"No, I have privacy, but if I'm doing something in my parents' house, I better not lie about it. Deceit can be destructive if you let it run wild. When we're living here, we'll be free to live our lives, but I'm still living under their roof and their rules."

"That makes sense," she conceded as I took her hand and led her out back to where the barbeque was set up.

All of the hands and their families, along with some associates and friends were there talking and walking along the never-ending spread of food to make their plates.

Lucy was the first to run over, almost tackling Bella as she hugged her. Alec laughed at his wife's exuberance and clapped me on the back as he introduced himself to Bella. My ma and pops were next, both embracing Bella before Peter and Charlotte took their turns.

Bella was whisked away to get a plate of food by my mother as my father laughed at the pair. "Your mother is in love, Boy, you better not break their hearts."

"I've no intention of hurting either of them," I said honestly.

"Good, now, grab a plate and enjoy a little relaxation because James wants to talk to you about a few things so he can get an early start tomorrow."

"Sure thing, Pops," I told him as I found Bella and made myself a dish.

We sat down to eat for a while as a family when I saw James motion me over. I excused myself and walked over to talk about the materials we needed for one of the fence repairs. I knew my father already knew how he wanted it done, but he wanted to see how I would handle it so that I understood every decision I would have to make when I was running the business someday.

I'd lost track of Bella a few minutes ago, when James finally stopped talking about fencing and pointed over my shoulder. "You better get to your girl, it looks like the Cobra's over there spitting venom."

I spun around and saw Maria and Bella in a heated discussion. Running over, I made it there just in time to catch the tail end of the argument.

"… so if you're going to lie about being with my boyfriend, learn to lie better, because I was on Skype with him that night, and I don't remember seeing you in the background. You had a chance with him and you fucked up, and believe me, I will not be as stupid as you were to let him go."

The anger in Bella's voice was hot, but Maria tried to get in one last dig. "We were in love, and you can't erase that by spreading your legs for him, all I have to do is snap my fingers and Jasper will come running."

Stupid bitch didn't realize I was right behind her.

"I'm not running anywhere but as far from you as I can," I growled. "You're here as a guest because our parents are close, but don't for a minute think that I won't ban you from these events in the future. The fact that you had the audacity to show up here means your parents have no idea what really happened, but I'm sure my ma would be happy to enlighten them."

"You wouldn't?" she asked, scared for the first time.

"No secrets, remember, Maria?"

In a huff, Maria stormed off and I pulled Bella into my arms. "You know I wouldn't touch her, right? I love you, and I could never -"

"You love me?" she said in the smallest of voices.

"I do, Darlin'. Missing you this last week has been insanity. It's only been eight days, I shouldn't feel so gutted without you, but I do."

"I love you, too, Jasper," Bella told me as her eyes teared up, causing me to pull her closer.

"There's some dancing to be done, what do you say we go enjoy the rest of this party?"

"That sounds like fun," Bella agreed as we headed over to where the musicians were set up.

*Shadow*

The past week and a half had been damn-near perfect.

My ma had done her best to show Bella around the area, including giving her a tour of the ranch that included the pasture I was working in at the time. We had a routine here, I'd wake up at dawn to work, Bella would enjoy her morning and afternoon before joining my ma in the kitchen to cook dinner, and then we'd go off to do our own thing. Some nights I'd take her out on the town, others we'd go to bed early.

Like I said, damn-near perfect.

I woke up this morning and kissed Bella's shoulder as I got up to start my day.

We were out in one of the pastures with the cattle, giving James and his men a chance to finish up the fencing that needed to be replaced.

I had a meeting early this afternoon with my father, but after that I was free to enjoy my day with Bella.

Laughter caught me off guard, and I was surprised to see Bella sitting atop one of Lucy's mares, my sister riding beside her.

"What have we here?" I called as she rode a little closer.

"Lucy wanted me to get some more riding in before I go home," Bella explained.

I noticed the pink in her cheeks and her shoulders and frowned at my sister. "Lucy, you couldn't give her a hat or something? Bella looks like she's a little burned."

"I don't feel like I'm burned," Bella told me.

"You won't feel it right away, but you'll be baked by tonight," James agreed and I looked to him, silently telling him I was heading in.

"Let's get you into the cool air and see how bad you're burned," I said as I rode to meet them.

We got to the stable and we took care of our horses before I took her straight to the main house and our room. Bella took a shower and when she walked out afterwards I could tell she was hurting.

"I thought the warmth was the heat, I didn't know that I'd gotten that much sun. I put on sunscreen," she pouted.

"You're not used to the sun like we are. Plus, we have a little Spanish blood in us so we tan more than we burn," I explained.

"Do you mind if I crank up the AC and take a nap in here to cool off?" Bella asked.

"Of course, Darlin', I'll be back in a little while."

I made my way to the office and was able to convince my father that I wanted the next few days off. He'd been hesitant at first, but I told him that I'd review some of our contracts in the evenings during the week after Bella left and he agreed. I was an extra set of hands at the moment, so I could say I'd worked the land when I was running the ranch.

With my free time negotiated, I ran upstairs to find Bella lying under the covers with what looked like nothing on, I sat beside her and she stirred.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm starting to hurt, and I have a headache. I feel stupid, I know that I burn easily, but I lost track of time."

"Don't worry; we'll get you right as rain. Give me one minute." I walked over to the phone and called down to the kitchen. "Ma, can you make two plates and put them on a tray? Bella is a little burnt and I think its best if she just relaxes until the heat has left her skin."

"Of course, Dear, I'll bring it up to you," my ma said, but I tried to stop her.

"I can get it, Ma, because if you come up here you'll make a big fuss over Bella, and she just wants to relax."

"Fine, Son, but be a gentleman. No woman likes it when they're feeling bad and their man goes knocking on their back door."

"Ma, I'm hanging up now," I yelled, slamming it down.

"What happened?" Bella asked.

"Just be grateful that Charlie trusts us and leave it at that," I muttered.

Bella sat up and I dug out some aloe vera gel and I began to spread it across her skin. She hissed at the cold temperature, but it seemed to help a little. Once I was done she put on a pair of cotton shorts and a tank top to minimize the amount of fabric touching her body as she lay back down. The air conditioner was doing its job and she was starting to relax some. I watched her drift off to sleep and I was glad to have the opportunity to do it.

My girl was so damn beautiful, and the last week and a half had made me realize that I really wasn't looking for anyone but her. I had already been thinking about showing her the last part of the ranch, the one my mother had purposefully left out of the tour, but now that I was sitting here taking care of her, it wasn't a question for me. Bella was the one holding all the cards in this. I'd wait as long as she needed, but she would leave here knowing how serious I was.

Edward would nut-punch me when I got back to Seattle.

I ran down to get our dinner and then we ate in my room, watching a movie before bed.

The next day we relaxed, letting the heat really start to leave her skin, the aloe was definitely helping with that, before I told her about my plan for the next two days.

Dallas was having a big street fair, so I told her that we were going to go the next day and explore before I brought her home and showed her something special. She was flying home the next afternoon, so it gave us a chance to sleep in before we said our goodbyes.

Just as I suspected, Bella loved the street fair, picking up a few crafts, while I managed to buy a few pieces of turquoise jewelry and some other things I saw her eye before walking away. I still wouldn't let her buy a cowboy hat, teasing her that she'd have to earn it, so she finally stole mine.

"What are you doing?" I hollered as she plopped it on her head and held on tight.

"I've earned it, Jasper." She smirked at me, looking sexy as hell while she stood there.

"Oh really?" I played along. "What have you done to earn a cowboy hat?"

"I roped me a cowboy, that's not an easy task," she teased as a giggle escaped her.

"No it ain't, Darlin'," I told her. "Now get over here and claim your prize."

Hoots and hollers filled the air and Bella said she'd had enough sun, asking if I could show her the surprise now.

We drove in through the side entrance to the ranch, throwing Bella off from the start. But as we continued through the pastures to one of the more remote parts of the ranch, she saw what I had driven to show her.

"Why is there a house all the way out here?"

"There's a house like it near the dairy farm on the other side of Southfork, that's where Lucy lives with her family. Peter and Charlotte will take over the main house eventually, but this house will be mine to live in with my family."

I looked out at the three-story house, two floors with an attic that went the full length of the house, the plantation columns and the porch that stretched along the entire front of the house on both stories, making it look like so many antebellum houses. It was all white, the garage sitting to the left right in front of where I'd parked.

"This is your house?" she asked.

"I hope one day you'll call it our house, because you're the one I want to raise a family with in it."

"Jasper …" she started, but no other words came.

"You're what I want, and in a few years when I've proved it beyond a shadow of a doubt, I will bring you home here for good."

"I love you," she whispered and I kissed her hard before we returned home to our last family dinner.

The night was filled with love making, and the morning dawned with a melancholy that we couldn't shake. We both ate a big breakfast with my ma and sisters and then I drove her to the airport so she could go through security.

"You'll be back in eight days," she reminded herself, "and then we can have all the weekend sleepovers we want."

"And a few weeks from that, you'll be living in Seattle and I'll get to see you every day," I added.

"See you soon, Cowboy," she said, trying to give me back my hat.

"Keep it, Darlin', it'll make you easier to find when I come home to you."

With a final kiss, I watched her walk to the security line and I headed back to make the most of the next eight days.


	10. Chapter 10

**Once again, thank you all for your patience with this chapter being delayed a little, and to my team, mizzdee and Tropical Sorbet for their hard work and love. Here's the end of Belsper's story and I'm glad that you took this journey with me. Until next story.**

**AGW**

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. This story is rated for lemons, language, and the normal teenage shenanigans.**

**Chapter 10**

**BPOV**

"Oh Jesus," I moaned as Jasper hit me in just the right spot.

"I'm not Jesus, Darlin', I'm Jasper," he teased and I smacked him as he changed his pace.

I could tell he was close and I wasn't far off myself. Just as his hips stuttered out a broken pattern against mine and I bit back the scream I wished I could unleash, there was a steady banging on our door.

"Mama, Pops, EJ's trying to get outside to swim in the creek!"

I whimpered as Jasper rolled off of me and began to pull on his pajama pants muttering, "Cockblock Cabin strikes again."

I laughed at his nickname for the cabin that started it all, and it was hard to believe that ten years later so much had changed.

We quickly put ourselves together and walked out into the main room to see our son pulling on the sliding glass door with all his might, but he wasn't big enough to move the wooden rod that was sitting in the track to prevent it from being opened by little hands.

"Edward Jasper Whitlock, what do you think you're doing?" I said with my hands on my hips and my foot tapping out a steady rhythm on the hardwood.

"Nuthin'," he drawled out, thinking the accent would win me over, which it wouldn't.

"Don't lie to your Mama, Boy," Jasper said from behind me and then more footsteps echoed as Edward and his brood joined us.

"Told you, you'd get caught," Brady teased and all eyes fell on him.

"You knew that your cousin was going to try and go out to the creek and you didn't tell anyone?" Edward went into cop mode and his son was about ready to wet himself.

"Okay, boys," Alice said to break the tension, "you go up into your room and sit on your beds and think about what you did. I don't want to hear one word from either of you or you're going to spend the summer with your grandma."

The chorus of 'noes' and the thundering of little feet let us know the message was received. Even all these years later, my mother was still a threat.

"Ginny, why don't you go upstairs and get Abby, that way you can both help with the pancakes." The words had barely left my mouth before Virginia was up the stairs and dragging her cousin back down.

The four of us laughed, because it was still hard to believe we were here.

Jasper was true to his word, and I took the lead on everything.

I decided when we move in together.

I was the one to hint at waiting until our last year of school before getting engaged. Edward and Alice both graduated the year before us, but Jasper had opted for a program that earned him a Master's degree in five years, so we both finished at the same time.

And I was the one that planned a winter wedding for the December after we had graduated.

The wedding had been at Southfork, and it was at our wedding that my dad pulled me aside to tell me that he'd proposed to his girlfriend, Sue. She was instantly accepted into our family and we continued on as we always had.

My mom popped into our lives a few times since then, usually for a few days before she offended someone or the kids started to get weird around her. As sad as it was to admit, my mom still didn't get it.

Edward followed us down to Texas and he was now a cop in Dallas, while Alice had opened her dance studio and tried to keep from killing stage moms on a daily basis.

Meanwhile, my plans had become a little sidetracked.

EJ had been born forty-one weeks after our wedding day, and I put my writing on hold to take care of him. Nettie, Jasper's mom, had helped me find a way into the charity ball circuit and I'd been working on being the new generation of Whitlock women along with Charlotte.

Though my novel still wasn't ready to send out, I'd published a series of children's books that had done well, and with my little Ginny coming three years ago, my life was pretty perfect.

Speaking of my angel, she got her father and uncle to carry two chairs into the kitchen so they could help with the pancakes. I whipped up two batches of batter and then placed the bowls in front of them. Starting with Ginny, I poured in the blueberries, and then I added the chocolate chips to Abby's. The girls diligently mixed their ingredients in, as Jasper stepped in beside me.

"They grow up too fast, Bella. Even though I only go as far as the main house most days, I feel like I'm missing out since I took over for my dad."

"They do, Cowboy, but you'll have another chance to see it, so you better find a way to either be home more, or move us into the big house for the duration." I giggled as Jasper stopped mid-nod, my words clicking in his head.

"You're pregnant, Darlin'?"

"I am," I whispered and his lips danced across my neck.

"When is Charlie coming to get the kids?" Jasper asked, and I knew where this was going.

"After breakfast. Then Edward and Alice are heading to Seattle for the weekend, so we'll be the last two here." I smirked up at him, excited to get some real quality time.

Edward and Alice came back into the kitchen with their bags packed and sitting in the hallway as I poured the pancakes onto the separate griddles. Alice slid in next to me to turn the bacon.

"I can't believe Rosalie's so big," Alice whispered.

We'd seen Emmett and Rosalie earlier in the week, and she was seven months pregnant now with twins. It ran in her family as well and a little part of me was worried about how much things would change if I had twins this time.

"She is having twins, and she's all belly. I looked like a small beached whale when I was pregnant with Virginia."

"No, you didn't," the chorus of masculine voices rang out from the next room. My brother and husband were cracking up at their little moment.

We served breakfast and the kids ran off to the back room to watch TV as soon as they were done. Jasper offered to pack up the kids while I loaded the dishwasher.

The loud knock on the front door had the kids cheering as I walked to open it for my dad. Sue gave me a big hug as my dad swept Ginny and Abby up, resting them on his hips.

"How was the week, kiddo?" my dad asked as he set down the girls and moved on to try and corral the boys.

"It was nice to come back here and see everyone. And I know the kids are excited to go to Poppy and Gram's house." I loved watching his reaction to the kid's name for him. My father was all about those kids.

"And we're so happy to have them," Sue agreed as Jasper carried down their bags.

"Hey, Son, how's business treating you?" my dad started asking Jasper about the ranch and I took the time to say my goodbyes to the kids.

"You all be good for Gram and Poppy, and we'll see you on Monday morning," I told the kids, who all tackled me for a group hug.

"Okay, monsters, come over here and give me a hug before you leave," Edward called as the kids ran over to tell everyone else goodbye.

We got the four of them in the car and with a few final hugs for Dad and Sue, they drove down the road. Edward was already carrying out their bags, Alice having popped the trunk.

"I know you're as eager for a weekend alone as we are, so you all behave, don't do anything we've done at this cabin in the past, and we'll see you at Dad's on Monday afternoon," Edward teased as he gave Alice a hard tug to get her moving.

"Don't listen to Edward, I'm ready for you two to make me another niece or nephew," Alice called and I whipped out my phone to send her a message.

_Already done, but don't tell Edward, I want to surprise him._

I saw her eyes bug out as she read the text, but thankfully Edward didn't see it.

They drove off a few minutes later and Jasper scooped me up, carrying me directly into our bedroom.

"How long have you known?" he asked.

"I suspected it last week, but the doctor confirmed it right before we left."

"I'm so excited for this, Darlin'. We're better settled, even with me having taken over. My dad said that he'd be willing to do any travelling that might be needed since he's not stuck in the daily running of the ranch, and my ma will love tagging along for the new shopping possibilities alone." Jasper's whole face was beaming and I loved that I did that for him.

So many people had wondered how we would make it work, me moving down south with no one but him around. But they didn't understand us. Even without his family, who welcomed me from the beginning, and my brother and sister-in-law following us down, Jasper had always been enough for me. He was my world and I was his; and our two – soon to be three – children only added to that.

"Where'd you go on me, Bella?" Jasper's voice called me from my thoughts.

"Just thinking about how unbelievably happy I am," I told him.

"That makes two of us." his voice was low and needy. "Bella, let me love you."

"You never have to ask me, Jasper. I'm always here to love and be loved by you."

Jasper stood up just long enough to take off his pants and shirt before he helped me out of my clothes. I was still sitting up on the edge of the bed when Jasper started his loving.

He started by kissing my forehead, and then traveling down my nose, kissing both of my cheeks, and then finally my lips. That kiss was long and slow, and I felt it clear down to my toes. When he did move, it was only to kiss a path down my neck and across my collarbone.

Jasper started to lean me back onto the mattress as he moved to my left breast, his hands still holding steady on my sides as he used his magnificent mouth to tease both of my breasts until I was at my breaking point.

That little whine let him know it was time to move south, but of course, he had to continue to tease me.

His lips ghosted across my stomach, and then he skirted the area I needed him as he moved to kiss down my leg. When he reached the ankle on my left foot, he switched to my right, kissing back up until he turned towards my sex.

His tongue touched my clit and I nearly leapt onto the ceiling, but the sure strokes of his fingers and the quick flicks of his tongue kept me in place as he drove me to my pinnacle.

I heard the rustling of Jasper's boxers being discarded as he climbed over my still trembling body.

"You're my world, Isabella Whitlock, and I thank God every day that you're in my life. I am blessed to have you, and that blessing only grows with each child we have together." I saw the tears glistening in his eyes, and I was quick to echo his sentiment.

"I was in the shadows before you came around, but ever since we've met you've chased the darkness away and surrounded me with the most dazzling light."

Jasper settled between my legs and then pushed forward, finding his way home. Our lovemaking was slow and sensual, an ebb and flow between us that kept climbing at a steady pace. The dance was well practiced over the years and soon I was calling out to my husband, my own name floating in the air.

I must have fallen asleep shortly after, because I woke up to a sandwich and a smile from Jasper. We ate in bed, and then the two of us napped together, my body easily giving into the warm, comfortable temptation that was sleeping beside my husband.

What surprised me more than my first nap, was the fact that my second one took me straight to dinner. Jasper had grilled steak and potatoes, making salads from the leftovers from last night and putting it on the table.

It was a sweet little meal for the two of us, and once again, my husband had a few tricks up his sleeve.

After the dishwasher was set, he dimmed the downstairs lights and put on the TV, starting a DVD that was already set up in the player.

As the sounds of a muttering old man reached my ears, I turned to Jasper with a watery smile. "Jeff Dunham?"

Nodding, he told me, "I have all of his specials, but I thought it was best to start where we did. Now, come over here, Darlin', I want to cuddle with my girl."

I laughed and slid into his arms. We joked around during the first special, and as we started up the second, Jasper started talking about the new baby.

"I know that we both agree that as long as the baby is healthy, we're happy, but a part of me wants another little girl that I can spoil. Ginny is thoroughly against me buying her anything in excess," Jasper pouted, and I was laughing at his expression.

"You wanted to buy our three-year old a pony, that's a little extreme. But I don't have a preference, I just want them to have your blonde hair," I teased him about both of our children being dark haired.

*Shadow*

Our discussion in the cabin was a vague memory when we sat in the doctor's office and heard that we were having twins, but it didn't keep Jasper from grinning like a fool. "Another boy and girl, how do we keep getting this lucky?"

"I'll tell you once I survive it," I teased him back as we left the office.

*Shadow*

It was an icy December evening when Jasper drove me to the hospital, my labor coming on fast and furious. At two a.m. on December 21st, Joseph James and Natalie Rose were born, and I knew right then that I'd be keeping a close eye on those two, because I knew all too well what it was like to be the younger twin, with a protective older brother.


End file.
